Most fatal work zone crashes (71percent) occur on roads with speed limits of 55 miles per hour or greater — something to remember as this Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer travel season.

"Roads are much more congested these days and with the summer construction on the roadways aimed at improving our transportation infrastructure, we all have to take that extra step and be cautious and mindful of the rules of the road. If not, you could become yet another statistic," says Barbara J. Aguon, incoming American Society of Safety Engineers Columbia-Willamette Chapter president and Portland Parks & Recreation safety manager.

Roadway crashes account for one-fourth of the fatal work injury total. Many people spend much of their time at work on the road, either driving a company car or commercial vehicle. Each year, on-the-job traffic crashes cause 3,000 deaths, 332,000 injuries and cost employers more than $43 billion, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Figures range from about $22,000 per crash and $110,000 per injury.