Roshanda Jones speaks to the media during a press conference for National Work Zone Awareness Week on April 22 in Southfield. Jones’ husband, Cedric Lanier Jones, lost his life in July while working in a roadway work zone.
By: McKenna Golat | C&G Newspapers | Published April 22, 2026
SOUTHFIELD — The Road Commission for Oakland County, Genesee County Road Commission and the Operating Engineers 324 joined forces on April 22 to call attention to National Work Zone Awareness Week.
National Work Zone Awareness Week, which this year is April 20-24, is held every spring to remind motorists to pay attention to work zones and roadway workers as construction season starts. The three entities held a press conference at the Road Commission for Oakland County garage in Southfield, which lost one of its employees, Cedric Lanier Jones, to a work zone crash on July 23, 2025. The crash also seriously injured Robert Dinkins and George Thomas, two other employees from the garage.
The garage was renamed in honor of Cedric Lanier Jones in November. His wife, Roshanda Jones, and two of their six children were also in attendance at the press conference.
Roshanda Jones said her world shifted on July 23, 2025. She said that whenever she goes through a work zone, she sees drivers being unsafe and irresponsible behind the wheel.
“When you approach a work zone, be respectful of the lives that are behind the cones, the flashing lights and inches of signage saying there are workers ahead,” she said. “They deserve to come home. They deserve to accomplish all of their goals and plans. Most importantly, their children deserve to have them.”
Roshanda Jones said people cannot treat driving like it is a simple task; rather, they need to treat it as a privilege.
Road Commission for Oakland County Managing Director Dennis Kolar said National Work Zone Awareness Week is about getting motorists to be cautious while driving through work zones, and to protect roadway workers. He said the commission has been focused on the safety and protection of its workers since 1978, and that while the commission is proud to have safe work conditions, there is still work to be done.
“There are times like last July, when we have a group of workers do everything right and have everything set up as it should be, but a crash still occurred and took the life of Cedric Jones and changed the lives of Robert Dinkins and George Thomas,” Kolar said.
He said that in 2023, which is the most recent year for available nationwide statistics, there were more than 101,000 work zone crashes, with an estimated 39,000 injuries and 899 fatalities. Of those fatalities, 176 were pedestrians or workers.
Genesee County Road Commission Communications Coordinator Kylie Dontje said roadway workers are not the only people affected by crashes. Last year across Michigan, there were 25 fatal work zone crashes, of which the majority of fatalities were drivers and their passengers. She said safety cannot just be the responsibility of roadway workers; it is also the responsibility of the drivers on the road.
“These are not just statistics; these are co-workers, friends and family members,” Dontje said. “Remember this the next time you enter a work zone. Slow down, stay alert, put the phone away and follow the signs.”