BATON ROUGE — Monday was the first day of National Work Zone Awareness Week, and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development wants to use this week as a reminder for drivers to slow down, stay alert and move over. 

For 25 years, National Work Zone Awareness Week has marked the start of construction season nationwide. It’s helped to promote road safety and cautious driving to protect drivers, passengers, pedestrians and workers.

DOTD has hundreds of traffic cones on display at Capitol Access Road to honor those lost while working on roads.

“In 2023, there were 898 individuals who lost their lives, both motorists and construction workers. Fourteen of those were also from Louisiana,” DOTD Secretary Terrence Donahue said.

DOTD wants to prevent any more deaths from happening because of distracted driving. In the legislature, bills have been introduced to more effectively curb distracted driving.

"Don't change the channel on the radio, certainly don't text and drive, don't even make a phone call just keep two hands on the wheel try to refrain from talking to passengers and just stay focused on the road," State Police Superintendent Robert Hodges said.