The Kansas Department of Transportation and its safety partners announced on April 20 that they are participating in National Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs from April 20 to 24, by promoting a series of activities aimed at raising awareness and reducing crashes in work zones.
According to the department, safety is important for both highway workers and motorists. Statistics show that about nine out of ten people injured each year in work zone crashes are motorists. In 2025, ten people lost their lives and 482 were injured on Kansas roads where there was an average of 4.2 work zone crashes every day, totaling 1,523 crashes.
As part of the awareness campaign, Kansans are encouraged to wear orange on Wednesday, April 22—designated as Go Orange Day—to show support for highway workers. The department also plans to share personal stories throughout the week from highway maintenance workers, a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper, and a Kansas Turnpike Authority safety specialist. These stories will be available daily at kansastransportation.blogspot.com.
A free online driving course called Kansas Work Zone Safe is being offered to new drivers to teach them how to safely navigate through work zones. The course can be accessed at webuildkansas.com/workzonesafe. New drivers are noted as being twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash.
Buildings, bridges, fountains, and other landmarks across the state—including locations such as the Governor’s Mansion in Topeka and city halls in Topeka and Wichita—will be lit in orange during the week. Electronic message signs along highways will also promote work zone safety when available.
Additional resources such as coloring pages, an activity book, a fact sheet on work zone safety, and a new public service announcement are available on KDOT’s work zone safety webpage. More information can be found in the organization’s press release.
