Who Knew Michigan Had A ‘Captain Orange’?

This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week, alerting us to the onset of construction season in Michigan. And to remind us to pay attention to construction workers working alongside out highways, the Michigan Department of Transportation has rolled out 'Captain Orange', a construction worker with a bright, easy to see outfit.

"National studies show that over 95 percent of all crashes are the direct result of driver error," said First Lieutenant Jim Flegel of the Michigan State Police. "Work zones are dynamic places that can change from minute to minute, so motorists should slow down, use extra focus and not tailgate."

Throughout the country in 2014:
- Driver and vehicle passengers accounted for 82 percent of work zone fatalities;
- 669 work zone traffic-related fatalities occurred (up 13 percent from 2013), with 46 crashes involving multiple fatalities;
- 31,251 work zone injuries occurred (a 9 percent increase from 2013);
- 116 worker fatalities occurred (a 9 percent increase from 2013); and
- 246 large trucks and buses (235 large trucks, 11 buses) were involved in fatal crashes in work zones (a 27 percent increase from 2013).

Be careful out there, and respect the orange.