Written by the Mobile Section, Alabama AGC, for Constructor Magazine
During National Work Zone Awareness Week, the Mobile Section, Alabama AGC’s Work Zone Safety Committee worked closely with the Alabama Department of Transportation to host the kickoff press conference in Mobile, Alabama which featured a 35’-tall barrel flagger, W. Z. Flagger, a creation of committee member C & H Construction Services, LLC, serving as a larger-than-life reminder that orange is a sign to slow down.
The committee recognizes that the future of work zone safety depends on the continuous education of everyone, including children. With this in mind, they created and published a coloring book titled, “Lessons from Millie, You Play a Role in Work Zone Safety.” Since there is no better backseat driver than a child, each page depicts a work zone scenario that will help children identify work zones as they travel with adults and make them aware of the dangers of distracted driving. The book is educational, fun and features Millie, a golden retriever, as a construction worker, police officer and skateboarder. Some of the other characters include a turtle holding a stop-go paddle, speeding rabbits and a puppy telling her mom, “no phone in the cone zone.” The last page has puzzles including sign identification and word search.
Millie, along with her handler Morris King who is serving as the 2023 statewide Associate President for Alabama AGC, will be making his way around the state visiting schools and getting children excited about identifying and driving safely in work zones. Each child will receive a coloring book along with a trading card that has Millie’s picture on the front and work zone safety tips on the back.
Millie’s challenge to the children will be to go home and talk to their parents about work zones, tell them about the dog wearing the hard hat and all the cool things she does to protect workers. Millie encourages them to look for work zones the next time they are in a car and to remind the driver, “We all play a role in work zone safety.”
Following the first presentation to more than 200 students at a Mobile elementary school, a teacher commented, “What a powerful way to educate children at such a young age. We may never know how many lives will be saved because of Millie’s lesson.”
Your company may not be involved in building roads, but your employees drive to and from work every day, and many are driving company vehicles. Please ask that they drive safely through work zones and to always expect the unexpected. It is important we all take a few moments to raise awareness and acknowledge how important safety is on our roadways and in our work zones. Help us spread the word; it could save a life!
Appreciation is extended to our committee and sponsors for their support for this year’s project. For more information please contact the Mobile Section, Alabama AGC office at staff@agcmobile.org or 251-344-8220.
