BELLE — The Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) is encouraging teens across the state to take part in a new driver safety initiative aimed at reducing crashes and saving lives in roadway work zones.

Missouri has officially launched its own version of Work Zone Safe, a free online program designed specifically for teen drivers. The interactive course comes as work zone crashes and fatalities continue to be a concern statewide.

The program takes about 45 minutes to complete and focuses on teaching young drivers how to safely navigate construction zones, understand proper roadside behavior and share the road with emergency responders and highway workers. It uses real-life stories and scenarios to help put a human face to the signs, cones and barriers drivers encounter on Missouri roadways.

As an added incentive, teens who complete the course are automatically entered into a drawing for a $500 educational scholarship.

The program is already being promoted for use in driver education classes, school assemblies, youth organizations and safety-focused events such as TRACTION (Teens Taking Action to Prevent Traffic Crashes), where the statewide rollout recently took place.

MoDOT is also encouraging parents, educators and community leaders to take the course themselves, making it easier to guide and encourage teen drivers to participate.

The Missouri-specific course can be accessed online, along with additional information about the national program. By expanding participation, officials hope to reduce crashes, protect roadway workers and improve safety for all drivers across the state.

To access the course, visit www.workzonesafe.com and click on the “Missouri Work Zone Safe” link near the top of the page.

In 2025, Missouri recorded 23 fatalities and 393 crashes in work zones. Of those fatalities, 11 involved distracted driving. MODOT believes early education can help reverse that trend by building safe driving habits before teens are fully independent behind the wheel.