Motorists cautioned

This week is Highway Work Zone Safety Awareness Week (April 2-6) in Indiana.

With more than $900 million in road construction projects planned across Indiana, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) expects this year to be the busiest road construction season in Hoosier history - making it more important than ever to use extreme caution in Indiana's highway work zones.

Each year thousands of men, women and children are killed or injured in work zone crashes. Four out of five people killed in work zones are either drivers or passengers. Nationally, three people die in work zone accidents each day, and someone is injured in a work zone accident every nine minutes. In Indiana, 14 people were killed and 686 were injured in work zones last year.

INDOT urges motorists to drive safely by following these tips:

+Stay alert! Look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers.

+Pay attention. Work zone signs will tell you exactly what to expect ahead.

+Merge early. If drivers merge as soon as they see the signs, traffic will flow more smoothly.

+Slow down. If you're speeding, you may encounter slowed or stopped traffic within seconds.

+Don't tailgate. Maintain a safe distance on all sides of your vehicle.

+Minimize distractions. The three C's - cell phones, CDs and coffee - are the primary causes of driver inattention.

+Plan ahead. Expect delays and allow extra travel time. Select an alternate route if you are running late.