New York is stepping up enforcement and public awareness efforts in highway work zones as officials warn of rising crashes and ongoing dangers for road crews.
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday marked the start of National Work Zone Awareness Week, highlighting a renewed focus on slowing drivers down and strengthening protections for workers across the state.
State data shows work zone crashes on the New York State Thruway climbed sharply in 2025, reaching 228 incidents and injuring 28 people — the highest level since 2020. Officials say speeding, distracted driving and failure to follow traffic controls remain the leading causes.
To address those risks, the state will expand “Operation Hardhat” enforcement details through the spring and summer, with state troopers and local police targeting violations in active work zones. Officers, sometimes dressed as construction workers, will issue tickets for speeding, distracted driving and failing to follow flaggers or the state’s Move Over Law.
The state also plans to continue expanding its automated work zone speed enforcement program, which uses cameras to ticket drivers exceeding speed limits in construction areas. Officials say the program has helped reduce speeds where it has been deployed, with fines escalating for repeat violations.
Alongside enforcement, transportation agencies are launching a new public awareness campaign aimed at changing driver behavior. The Thruway Authority’s “Help Us Get Home” message features maintenance workers speaking directly about the risks they face on the job, while the Department of Transportation is rolling out ads across digital, broadcast and roadside platforms.
The campaign comes as the state continues to grapple with the human toll of work zone incidents. Officials noted that 59 transportation workers have died in the line of duty over time, including a highway maintenance worker killed in 2025 after being struck by a vehicle while working along a state route.
Drivers are being urged to slow down, avoid distractions, move over for roadside crews and follow all posted signs and instructions in work zones.
State landmarks, including Niagara Falls and the Fairport Lift Bridge, were illuminated in orange to honor highway workers and reinforce the message that work zones are active job sites where safety depends on driver behavior.
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