A survey by the Associated General Contractors of America of highway contractors in early 2025 found that 33 percent of firms record five or more work-zone crashes per year. Thirty-seven percent of respondents call for tougher penalties for speeding in construction zones, 39 percent demand better enforcement of existing rules. The figures come from an industry that sends employees into work zones daily and depends on traffic rules for protection. The survey shows that even where rules exist, enforcement is lacking.
Germany Does Not Track Work-Zone Crashes Uniformly at the Federal Level
Germany has no central, nationwide system for recording work-zone crashes by site type or contracted firm. Police accident statistics in the states distinguish crashes involving personal injury, but systematic classification by construction zone—let alone by contractor—is absent. The Federal Motor Transport Authority publishes aggregated data on motorway crashes, but breakdowns by work zone or by party at fault in construction contexts are not provided. Those who do not count crashes cannot identify repeat offenders—and cannot adjust procurement criteria.
The result: firms that repeatedly set up unsafe work zones or whose sites cause above-average numbers of crashes remain invisible. Procurement authorities have no data basis for incorporating safety records into tenders. The state sets rules, but it does not measure whether they work.
Ontario Has Maintained a Work-Zone Register with Contractor Attribution
The Canadian province of Ontario maintains a work-zone crash register that links incidents to contracted firms. The Ontario Ministry of Transportation publishes aggregated data on highway work-zone crashes, broken down by severity, cause and—for ministry projects—by contractor. The data feed into the evaluation of future tenders. Firms with above-average crash rates must demonstrate what measures they have taken to improve safety. The system is transparent: the figures are publicly accessible, the methodology documented.
According to available Ontario Ministry of Transportation data, the province records over a thousand work-zone crashes on highways annually, including fatal incidents. The data show that the majority of crashes are attributed to excessive speed or inattentive driving. The register makes it possible to identify patterns: certain road sections, certain times of day, certain types of construction site. The province uses these insights to adjust signage, speed limits and enforcement strategies. The state measures, learns, acts.
The Next Step: A Federal Work-Zone Crash Register
A federal work-zone crash register in Germany would deliver three things. First, it would systematically record crashes in construction zones by location, time, severity and—for public contracts—by contractor. Second, it would give procurement authorities a data basis for incorporating safety records into tenders. Third, it would make repeat offenders visible and create incentives to make work zones safer.
The technical implementation is not rocket science. Police and road authorities already record crash data and construction-zone information today. What is missing is the linkage: a uniform data model that brings both sets of information together, and an interface that gives procurement authorities access. Ontario has shown that such a system can be built with manageable effort. The province uses a central database fed by police, road authorities and contractors. The data are aggregated and published quarterly.
Create Incentives, Not Just Rules
The US survey shows that firms themselves are calling for tougher penalties and better enforcement. The industry that depends on construction sites is calling for more enforcement. The reason is simple: unsafe sites endanger not only motorists but also the firms' own employees. Companies that invest in safety do not want to compete against low-cost providers who neglect protective measures. A register creates transparency here and rewards those who take rules seriously.
Germany relies on rules, but not on measurement. The result: good intentions, weak enforcement. A federal work-zone crash register would be a small step with large impact. It would require no new laws, only the consistent use of existing data. The state has set regulations but has not built the capacity to enforce them. Citizens expect enforcement, not new rules. To do that, it must first measure.
Projekt Freistaat · Band 1 "Freistaat" examines why Germany sets rules but does not deliver enforcement—and what that means for trust in the state. The book is available as a Kindle edition and paperback on Amazon.