NWZAW 2025 Series - Day 3 * Accurate Collection and Reporting of Worker Presence in Work Zones
Dr. Zhu Qing, University of Missouri, will present a project aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency in highway work zones using wearable technologies to track worker presence in real time. The team evaluates technologies like RFID, GPS, Bluetooth, and UWB based on accuracy, battery life, and ease of integration. Through field testing and implementation studies, the project validates these tools in real-world conditions and develops systems to incorporate worker presence data into safety reports and project management. The goal is to improve safety, emergency response, and coordination of construction activities.

	The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will host the 2025 NWZAW kickoff event on April 22 with the theme, "Respect the zone so we all get home.”  In 2022, 891 people died in work zones, according to the NHTSA FARS data. Also in 2022, 94 highway worker occupational fatalities occurred in road construction sites, based on BLS data. Newer data and additional statistics will be available at a later date on WorkZoneSafety.org.  What many fail to recognize is the vast majority of people killed in work zone crashes are motorists and their passengers. In 2022, 742 drivers and their passengers died in work zones (based on NHTSA FARS data), making it all the more important for drivers to slow down and stay focused while approaching and passing through a roadway work zone.
In partnership with MoDOT AND FHWA, we are offering a Work Zone Wednesday webinar series to spread awareness on work zone safety. Join us to learn more and bring attention to the risks of work zones by attending any or all of the sessions.