Risk Management Magazine

My commute to and from work is about as simple as I could want. I travel on rural roads, except for a 10-minute jaunt on a major highway. If I were ever to be involved in an accident, I figured the highway would be the most likely place due to the increased traffic I encounter there. Therefore, I tend to drive that stretch more cautiously. That reasoning helped contribute to a close call one lazy Sunday afternoon.

One April, my sister talked me into running an insane 24-hour relay race called the Ragnar. Twelve of us decided to take on this challenge — a 192-mile trek through the scenic Wasatch Mountains, just east of Salt Lake City. With so many in our group, I only had to run three legs of the race. But don’t be fooled into thinking it was a piece of cake. Over the course of two days and one night, participants are awake, cheering each other on, wearing wacky costumes, listening to live bands and partying along the route. Good times.

Work zones on U.S. highways have become increasingly dangerous places for workers, drivers and passengers. There are a large number of work zones in place across America; therefore, highway agencies are working on not only improving communication used in work zones, but to change the behavior of drivers so crashes can be prevented.