*For photos, click here*

Well-maintained roads make all of us safer. Our road crews should not have to risk their lives to make that happen.  

But they do. 

Accidents in work zones on U.S. roadways are far too common, putting workers — and everyone else on the road — in danger. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, in 2023 alone nearly 900 people were killed in work zone crashes on America’s roads and more than 40,000 were injured.  

Even one death or serious injury is too many. And, while we may think of work zone crashes as only happening on highways, the reality is that these accidents can and do happen on any street or area where road crews are working. 

Here in Middlesex County, our Office of Public Works is responsible for the inspection and maintenance of 87 County roads — more than 320 miles of roadway located throughout the County’s 25 municipalities.  

Beginning in June and continuing throughout the warmer months, these skilled employees will be hard at work paving, resurfacing, and repairing nearly 40 of our County roads and performing regular inspections on others. Their efforts are vital to ensuring we have safe, well-maintained roadways throughout Middlesex County.  

Each of us can do our part to help keep these dedicated County workers safe by slowing down and driving safely around work zones. Perhaps the most important thing we can do is to pay attention while driving. It’s much easier to avoid causing or being involved in a crash in or near a work zone if you are aware of the work zone and road crews. The best way to do this is by focusing on driving — and only driving — while operating your vehicle. 

Distracted driving is the number one cause of fatal and serious injury crashes on U.S. roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 3,275 people lost their lives due to distracted driving on America’s roads in 2023. In New Jersey, 684 people died in traffic crashes in 2024, with 60 fatalities just in Middlesex County alone.  

Anything that takes your eyes — or your mind — off the road is considered distracted driving. This includes texting, talking on the phone, eating or drinking, changing the radio station, or focusing on other systems in your vehicle. Even having an argument or an emotional discussion or simply daydreaming can be considered distracted driving.  

In May, Middlesex County launched a public service announcement (PSA) campaign to help educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving. This PSA is part of the County’s larger Vision Zero initiative, which seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries while promoting equitable mobility for ALL road users. In addition to educating the public, Middlesex County’s Vision Zero Action Plan also includes leveraging technology and data and improving infrastructure to achieve our Vision Zero goals. 

The “60 to Zero” PSA campaign asks drivers to take the pledge to drive safely by only focusing on driving while operating a motor vehicle.  

I strongly urge every driver to join me in taking this pledge.  

Together, we can help keep our County road crews safe during summer paving projects — and improve safety on our roads for everyone who lives, works, or plays in Middlesex County.  

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