More than half said work-zone crashes caused project delays because of crashes, and more than half also said highway work-zone crashes pose a greater risk today than a year earlier. Contractors also reported growing concern around nighttime work zones, where visibility and driver behavior can create additional hazards.

"Unfortunately, many motorists continue to drive distracted, under the influence or speed through work zones," Brian Turmail, AGC vice president of association and industry image, said.

More than 90% of survey respondents identified distracted drivers as a major contributor to work-zone crashes and intrusions, while speeding and cellphone use also ranked among top concerns.

Contractors also expressed frustration with enforcement. Nearly 40% said penalties for moving violations in work zones should become more severe, while only 29% said current enforcement efforts are helping deter unsafe driving behavior in work zones.

Macrina Wilkins, AGC director of market insights, said one of the more troubling findings was that contractors increasingly perceive work zones as increasingly dangerous, despite some modest improvement in fatality rates.

"We're not necessarily diminishing risk," she said during AGC's discussion of survey results.

While many respondents called for stronger enforcement, contractors also pointed to mitigation tools already being deployed in the field. Nearly half said truck-mounted attenuators, or TMA—shock-absorbing safety devices mounted to work vehicles—had improved safety performance in active work zones.

Beyond field-level responses, AGC officials argued the findings also point to broader policy shortcomings.

AGC officials said the findings support stronger work-zone protections as lawmakers debate the next federal surface transportation package, including more detailed safety data collection and greater emphasis on work-zone planning.

Recommendations call for requiring states to track work-zone injuries and fatalities, directing states to address work-zone safety within highway safety programs and encouraging broader use of automated enforcement technologies in active work zones. The organization also called for greater investment in safety research and pilot programs involving emerging technology.

The organization also moved beyond calls for broad awareness campaigns, instead advocating for specific funding and legislative proposals.

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AGC has called for states to dedicate 10% of Highway Safety Improvement Program funding toward work-zone safety if injury and fatality trends worsen over a consecutive two-year period. AGC also highlighted the Safe Roads for Those Who Serve Act sponsored by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), which would strengthen work-zone safety data collection and authorize $10 million over five years for public-awareness campaigns.

AGC argued that responsibility for work-zone protections often falls on construction companies rather than funding recipients. The organization also said current project delivery systems can create challenges for contractors investing heavily in safety measures because bidders prioritizing those investments can face cost disadvantages.

"There are no specific carve-outs for work-zone safety," Turmail said in response to a question about federal funding, adding that safety should not become a choice "between miles and lives."

That concern was pronounced in nighttime work zones, where one-third of contractors said crashes had become more frequent over the past year. Respondents again identified distracted driving as the leading factor, followed by speeding and impaired driving.

Heather Agee, chief strategy officer at IBC Traffic in Kansas City, Mo., shared a company example, recounting a prior work-zone incident in which a drunk driver struck a company truck with enough force to spin it into live traffic.

"If there was anybody in that truck, he would have died completely," a member of the IBC team said in a video shown during the presentation.

Agee said contractors increasingly are recognizing the mental-health impacts of traumatic work-zone incidents and beginning to expand support resources for workers exposed to them.

"People are not getting home to their families, and that is unacceptable," she said.