Lincoln, Neb. – September 12, 2025 – Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) make up only five percent of highway traffic but are involved in nearly 30 percent of fatal work zone crashes. To help address this disproportionate risk, the Nebraska Transportation Center (NTC) hosted a Proactive Work Zone Safety Workshop. The event brought together CMV drivers, Nebraska Department of Transportation staff, contractors, fleet safety managers, law enforcement, City of Lincoln citizens, and researchers to discuss how technology can play a role in reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities in work zones.
Participants were introduced to a prototype system, developed with funding from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and in collaboration with the University of Alabama, MITRE, and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, that delivers proactive warnings to drivers and highway workers. Attendees were asked to share their perspectives on practical, effective, and trusted ways to deliver real-time alerts that improve safety for all road users.
Interactive polling and discussions revealed several key insights. Participants identified traffic congestion, distracted or impatient drivers, and narrowed lanes that limit maneuverability as the top challenges in work zones. When asked why CMVs are overrepresented in fatal work zone crashes, most agreed that the causes are multifaceted, with driver distraction and inattention leading to frequent rear-end collisions and the inherent difficulty CMVs face in navigating work zones. As for solutions, participants voiced strong support for advance work zone warnings and in-cab alerts for drivers, as well as personal clip-on devices for workers that provide vibration, light, and sound alerts.
“This wasn’t just about showing technology,” said Dr. Nathan Huynh, UNL professor, director of the Nebraska Transportation Center, and lead investigator of the project. “It was about listening to the people who live and work in and around work zones. Their input ensures that solutions are not only innovative but also realistic.”
The research team will use this feedback to provide FMCSA with a roadmap that highlights the types of proactive warnings drivers and workers find most useful, and what is achievable with today’s technologies based on this research. By following this roadmap, we can move toward safer work zones for CMV drivers, the traveling public, and highway workers.
View the workshop website here: https://ntc.unl.edu/resources/workshop-help-shape-future-work-zone-safety-technology-training-evaluation/
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