Highway construction is a familiar sight for drivers, especially when warmer weather brings more road work across the country. Orange cones, lane closures and reduced speed limits may feel routine, but work zones can become dangerous quickly when traffic patterns shift and drivers fail to adjust.
To better understand where and when these crashes happen most often, we analyzed work zone crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 2015 to 2024. We ranked each state by the number of fatal work zone crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers and looked at the months, days of the week and hours when these crashes happen most often nationwide.
The result is a closer look at the states where work zone crashes are most common, along with the times when drivers, passengers and road crews may face the greatest risk.
The Most Dangerous Times for Highway Construction Workers
Highway work zones are a routine part of the road, especially during warmer months when construction season picks up across the country. But even familiar stretches of orange barrels, lane shifts and reduced speed limits can become dangerous quickly when drivers lose focus or fail to adjust.
From 2015 to 2024, there were 7,578 fatal crashes in work zones across the U.S. We then broke those crashes down by month, day of the week and time of day to see when work zones appear to be most dangerous for drivers, passengers and highway construction workers.
The data shows these crashes are more common during peak construction months, later in the workweek and throughout several busy daytime and nighttime travel periods.
The Months With the Most Work Zone Crashes
- August: 820 crashes, or 26.45 per day
- October: 776 crashes, or 25.03 per day
- June: 774 crashes, or 25.80 per day
- September: 774 crashes, or 25.80 per day
- July: 770 crashes, or 24.84 per day
August had the highest total, but the broader pattern is just as important. Five of the six highest months fell between May and October, when road construction is common in much of the country. June and September also had slightly more crashes per day than October, even though October had a higher overall total. That suggests the summer construction season plays a clear role in when these crashes are most likely to happen.
The quieter winter months saw fewer crashes. January had the lowest total, with 416 crashes, followed by February with 428 and December with 474. Those months still accounted for hundreds of deadly incidents, but they were well below the summer and early fall peaks.
The Days of the Week With the Most Work Zone Crashes
- Thursday: 1,167 crashes
- Friday: 1,150 crashes
- Wednesday: 1,092 crashes
- Monday: 1,091 crashes
- Tuesday: 1,061 crashes
Work zone crashes were most common on weekdays, with Thursday and Friday standing out as the two highest days. That timing may reflect a mix of regular commuting, commercial traffic and end-of-week travel. It also lines up with when many construction crews are active on highways and major roads.
Weekend days saw fewer crashes, though the totals were still high. Saturday accounted for 1,032 crashes, while Sunday had the fewest of any day, with 985.
The Hours of the Day With the Most Work Zone Crashes
- 12 p.m. to 12:59 p.m.: 372 crashes
- 1 p.m. to 1:59 p.m.: 368 crashes
- 9 p.m. to 9:59 p.m.: 368 crashes
- 2 p.m. to 2:59 p.m.: 363 crashes
- 2 a.m. to 2:59 a.m.: 360 crashes
The highest-risk hours were not limited to one part of the day. Midday and early afternoon saw several of the highest totals, including the peak hour from noon to 12:59 p.m., a period that may bring heavy traffic through active work zones while crews are still on-site.
The data also shows a notable nighttime risk. The 9 p.m. hour tied for the second-highest total, and the 2 a.m. hour ranked fifth. Night work, reduced visibility, fatigue and impaired driving can all make construction zones more dangerous after dark. Meanwhile, the lowest total came from 7 a.m. to 7:59 a.m., with 223 crashes, followed by 4 a.m. to 4:59 a.m., with 233.
The timing trends show that work zone crashes tend to rise during warmer construction months, later in the workweek and during both busy daytime hours and higher-risk nighttime periods. Next, we’ll look at where these crashes happen most often across the country.
Which States Have the Most Work Zone Car Accidents?
The timing of these crashes tells one part of the story. Location tells another. Some states see a much higher rate of work zone crashes than others, even after accounting for the number of licensed drivers on the road.
Across the U.S., there were 3.16 work zone crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers from 2015 to 2024. Nationally, these crashes happened most often in August, on Thursdays and between 12 p.m. and 12:59 p.m. But at the state level, the highest-risk places followed their own patterns.
The States With the Highest Rates of Work Zone Crashes
- Texas: 8.37
- Most common in October, on Sundays and from 2 a.m. to 2:59 a.m.
- Wyoming: 7.32
- Most common in August, on Mondays and from 6 a.m. to 6:59 a.m.
- Oklahoma: 6.90
- Most common in July, on Fridays and from 4 p.m. to 4:59 p.m.
- Georgia: 4.72
- Most common in September, on Fridays and from 9 p.m. to 9:59 p.m.
- Indiana: 4.65
- Most common in July, on Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 9:59 a.m.
Texas stood out most in the analysis. Its rate was more than 2.5 times the national rate, and its size, major highway network and year-round construction activity may help explain why work zone crashes remain such a serious issue there. Texas also had its highest crash activity in October, showing that the risk extends beyond the traditional summer construction months.
Wyoming ranked second despite having far fewer drivers than other states in the ranking, while Oklahoma followed closely in third, with its peak in July and on Fridays, a combination that lines up with heavy summer travel and end-of-week traffic.
Georgia and Indiana rounded out the top five. Both states sit along major freight and interstate corridors, where work zones can mix everyday commuters, long-haul truck traffic and construction crews in fast-moving traffic. Georgia’s highest-risk hour came at night, while Indiana’s came in the morning, showing that work zone danger can look different from state to state.
The States With the Lowest Rates of Work Zone Crashes
- New York: 0.49
- Most common in May, on Wednesdays and from 10 a.m. to 10:59 a.m.
- Washington: 0.94
- Most common in May, on Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 9:59 a.m.
- Massachusetts: 0.99
- Most common in July, on Fridays and from 12 p.m. to 12:59 p.m.
- New Hampshire: 1.01
- Most common in July, on Fridays and from 12 p.m. to 12:59 p.m.
- New Jersey: 1.08
- Most common in September, on Mondays and from 9 p.m. to 9:59 p.m.
New York had the lowest rate in the country, with fewer than one crash per 100,000 licensed drivers over the 10-year period. Washington, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Jersey also came in well below the national rate.
Several of the lowest-ranking states are in the Northeast, where denser road networks, shorter travel distances or different construction patterns may affect how work zone crashes show up in the data. Still, the lower rates do not mean these states are free from risk. Each still recorded crashes in work zones, and several saw their highest activity during the same warmer months that stood out nationally.
Texas, Wyoming and Oklahoma had the highest rates by a clear margin, while several coastal and Northeastern states had the lowest. Combined with the timing trends, the data points to a clear takeaway: drivers should stay especially alert in work zones during busy construction months, later in the week and in states where long highway stretches, freight traffic and active road work often overlap.
Closing Thoughts
Work zones are built to keep roads moving and crews protected, but they can quickly become dangerous when drivers speed, drift, follow too closely or miss sudden traffic changes. Our analysis found that these crashes were most common during the warmer construction months, later in the workweek and during both midday and late-night hours.
The state rankings also show that work zone risk varies widely across the country. Texas, Wyoming and Oklahoma had the highest crash rates per driver, while several Northeastern and coastal states saw much lower rates.
For drivers, the takeaway is simple: slow down, stay alert and give workers and other vehicles more room in active construction zones. Murphy & Prachthauser helps people injured in serious car crashes or truck accidents understand their legal options after life-changing roadway accidents, including collisions that happen in and around work zones.
Methodology
To determine the most dangerous states for highway construction workers, we pulled work zone fatal crash statistics from the NHTSA Fatality and Injury Reporting Tool from 2015 through 2024. We compared the total crashes to the number of licensed drivers by state in 2024 to allow for more accurate comparisons across states. That data comes from the FHWA.
We then found the number of work zone crashes by month, day of the week, and hour of the day to determine the most dangerous times for highway construction workers nationally and locally.
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