MoDOT promotes safety in work zones through poster contest

Can a third-grader make Missouri's road work zones safer?

Missouri Department of Transportation district engineer Scott Meyer believes so. He's touting the MoDOT district's third annual poster and coloring contest.

The poster contest is open to students in third through sixth grades and the coloring contest is for children, ages 2 to 5, in Southeast Missouri.

"We want to make children aware of the importance of work zone safety and the poster and coloring contest are a good tool to use," Meyer said.

Last year, 366 elementary school students participated in the contest. Their entries included ones that read, "Drive As If You Were In My Shoes" over a drawing of construction boots and, "Slow Down. They Have Families Too."

Meyer said the entries show that students understand the importance of slowing down and being alert when driving through work zones. "They are our best chance at getting adults to understand that lives depend on work zone safety."

Meyer's office expanded the contest last year to include a coloring contest for children in pre-schools and day care centers. More than 250 entries were received.

Elementary school students may submit posters of any size. The student's name, grade and school should be placed on the back of the poster, Meyer said.

To enter the coloring contest, log onto MoDOT's Web site at www.modot.org, and click on the Sikeston district. Coloring sheets can be printed from he Web site for the 2-3 age group and the 4-5 age group.

Entries in both contests should be sent to MoDOT, Southeast District, P.O. Box 160, Sikeston, Mo., 63801. The deadline is March 21.

Meyer said winners will be announced on March 31. Winning entries will be displayed at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park in Cape Girardeau in April.

First-place winners will get an interactive work zone safety assembly for their school or day care including the opportunity to see MoDOT's big trucks up close.