Road Safety at Work is urging drivers to slow down and stay alert to help protect roadside workers through its annual campaign and enforcement events.
The Work Zone Safety campaign is supported by the Road Safety at Work Alliance, a group of public- and private-sector organizations committed to improving the safety of people who drive for work or work at the roadside.
Roadside work is a common sight around the Okanagan at this time of year, according to Road Safety at Work. The Work Zone Safety campaign launched Tuesday, asking drivers across the province to help protect people who work in or around traffic.
Trace Acres, spokesperson for the annual Work Zone Safety campaign managed by Road Safety at Work, said driver distraction and inattention, as well as unsafe speed, put roadside workers at serious risk of being struck by vehicles.
“Work zones are complex, fast-changing environments. If drivers lose focus even for a moment, they can miss critical cues. And that’s when people get hurt,” she said.
According to Road Safety at Work, 11 roadside workers were killed in B.C. between 2016 and 2025 and 263 others suffered injuries resulting in time-loss claims.
Officials said work zones are a daily reality for many drivers in the Okanagan and other regions and are high-risk environments for thousands of workers in B.C. who do their jobs just metres from traffic.
These include traffic-control personnel, road construction and maintenance crews, tow operators, utility crews, emergency responders and landscapers.
“Roadside workers are doing jobs that keep our communities running,” Acres added. “Staying alert when you drive through a work zone is one of the simplest ways to help them get home safely.”
While drivers play a key role in work-zone safety, employers are responsible for protecting roadside workers by identifying hazards and assessing risks, ensuring a traffic-control plan is developed based on the risk assessment and ensuring workers are properly supervised and trained to work around traffic..
Road Safety at Work provides tips for drivers on their website.
Employers and workers can find free resources, including work zone planning tools, checklists and training materials on their website as well.
