Car Slams into Work Zone on Upstate New York Highway

A car crashed into a work zone (again) as National Work Zone Awareness Week began in New York State.

If this seems like a familiar topic, or something you feel you might have read before, let me start by saying this is a NEW example of why it is so important that all drivers slow down, stay alert, and move over if possible.

National Work Zone Awareness Week

This year, the entire state of New York participated in National Work Zone Awareness Week, which ran from April 21st to April 25th, 2025.

This year, New York highlighted highway workers and urged all drivers to prioritize safety in work zones by promoting safe driving practices, such as slowing down, staying alert, and eliminating distractions while passing through construction areas.

Car Crashes Into Work Zone on Upstate New York Highway

Before the week could even get started, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) shared pictures from another work zone crash showing how important it is to slow down and pay extra attention when entering a work zone on any road.

The pictures above show the aftermath of a single car crash that happened on Friday, April 18th, at a work zone on I-890 in Schenectady, NY. As you can see, the vehicle, which crashed into an "attenuator truck" that was set up in the left lane at the beginning of the work zone, was left a mangled mess.

Thankfully, the attenuator truck, which is designed to absorb the impact of a vehicle collision, did its job, protecting the workers ahead of it from what could have been a devastating impact.

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The NYSDOT stated, "There were no serious injuries, but as we’ve said before: this could have been much worse." When accidents like this happen, it's a great time to remind all drivers to slow down, stay alert, and move over if you can. If you can’t move over, simply slow down!

Work Zone Crashes in New York

Last year, there were more than 156 crashes in Thruway work zones, resulting in one fatality and 30 injuries, according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Distracted driving, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, and not adhering to traffic warning signs caused most crashes.

In addition, two Thruway Authority employees died and another was seriously injured in separate incidents while working on the New York State Thruway in 2024. In its 70-plus-year history, 22 Thruway employees have been killed while on the job.