BATON ROUGE, La. – In conjunction with National Work Zone Awareness Week, Governor Bobby Jindal has declared April 4-8 as Work Zone Awareness Week in Louisiana to emphasize the importance of driving safely through work zones.

To help raise awareness of work zone safety in Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has launched a new campaign – "A Vested Interest in Safety" – to collect and display photos of individuals wearing orange safety vests. All members of the community are invited to participate by submitting "vested" photos of themselves, coworkers, friends, and community leaders to DOTD’s Public Affairs Office via email at dotdpi@la.gov or posted directly to the DOTD Facebook page. Submitted photos will be displayed on DOTD’s Facebook page and the Destination Zero Deaths website, www.destinationzerodeaths.com.

In observance of Work Zone Awareness Week, DOTD will erect a cone memorial in front of its headquarters building. Each cone in the memorial represents one of the 667 people nationwide who lost their lives in work zones in 2009 – the most recent year for which figures were available from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Sixteen of those deaths were in Louisiana.

Additional statistics show that 274 people have died from motor-vehicle crashes in Louisiana’s work zones since 1989 and 735 injuries occurred in Louisiana work zones in 2009.

DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas, P.E., said, "I urge everyone to practice safe driving by avoiding driving while distracted, remain cautious and focused, and adhere to posted speed limits, especially when traveling through Louisiana’s work zones."

Lastly, DOTD will host a press conference on Wednesday, April 6, 10 a.m., on the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol to discuss the importance of driving safely through work zones.

DOTD is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 890 miles of interstate, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.

For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Motorists can access up-to-date travel information by dialing 511 or by visiting www.511la.org. Out of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).