April 15-19 is is national work zone awareness week.

As road workers gear up for summer construction projects, state leaders are pleading for the public to stay alert while driving.

“I know everyone's in a hurry. I know everyone wants to get where they're going quickly, but please slow down in work zones,” said Mike Carroll, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

In 2023, Pennsylvania state police investigated 1700 crashes in work zones. There were 11 fatalities, and over 300 cases of injury.

"The most common factors contributing to work zone crashes are driving too fast for conditions, careless passing and lane changes, tailgating, and distracted driving.” said Col. Christopher Paris, Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner.

Distracted driving is often linked to cell phone usage- and has become a priority of road safety advocates.

A Cambridge Mobile Telematics study found that in 2022, 34% of drivers interacted with their phone a minute before they crashed.

"I'm very surprised that new vehicles these days don't have something to disable your cell phone,” said Chris Baynham, assistant county manager for PennDOT in Dauphin County.

While technology and societal norms take their own path towards changing habits, lawmakers are also tackling the issue.

The same Cambridge study says that states with hand-held device bans see a 13% reduction in distracted driving. There are 27 states that have what are called 'hands free' driving laws- no driver can use their phone or any hand-held device while driving.

Pennsylvania is not on that list- though that might change soon.

Senate Bill 37 would expand the state’s current ban on texting while driving to a complete hand-held device ban while driving. 

“I would love to see something like that,” said Baynham. Several years back, he was hit while working on a road construction project.

"I was an operator on a road widening crew, just dumping dump trucks for blacktop- when a car sideswiped me.” said Baynham. He shared that with or without a law, distracted driving puts everyone on the road at risk.

"Every second your eyes are off the road, is a second less you have to react to any changing conditions you come upon,” said Baynham. “I just want my workers, the public, to get home safe to their families and loved ones."

Senate Bill 37 passed through the Senate and House- put was amended in the House. So it is back in the Senate, where lawmakers will have to approve the changes made in the other chamber.