The Highways Agency (HA) has launched a new information DVD to protect thousands of road workers across the country.

More than 4,000 road workers - approximately one for every mile of the Highways Agency's network - work day in, day out to keep the roads safe and well maintained for drivers.

With their safety in mind the DVD includes a hard-hitting short film called 'Respect', as well as radio clips aimed at regular commuters has been developed by the Highways Agency, on behalf of the Road Workers' Safety Forum (RoWSaF), with its partners from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the maintenance, construction and road safety industry, and THINK!

Voiced over by respected TV presenter Nick Ross, the film highlights why drivers need to have respect for road workers and an appreciation of the consequences their actions could have.

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The hard-hitting 'Respect' film shows a car crashing through a busy classroom, an operating theatre during surgery and then into a coned off part of a road where people are at work - the car then collides with a road worker. The longer '5 seconds' film focuses on the driver on business and the possible cost of their actions at road works.

Graham Dalton, Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, said: "Between 2003 and 2007, 10 roadworkers were killed and 81 were seriously injured while working on motorways and major A roads in England. One accident is one too many, and these tragic incidents are avoidable. Road workers are out there doing a job to make journeys better for road users. They work close to moving traffic every day and deserve our respect for doing so. Our new toolkit is about encouraging drivers to use appropriate behaviour whilst driving through roadworks, to respect those working there and to help the construction and maintenance industry to do as much as it can for them too."

Derek Turner, Director for Network Operations in the Highways Agency, said: "Driving safely through roadworks can save lives. Loss of life, or a serious injury, is a very real threat to these workers, and so is physical and verbal abuse. They are out there doing their job. The road is their office.

"Cones, barriers, signs and reduced speed limits are there for a reason - to protect our workers from danger and keep the public safe. I urge all drivers to pay close attention to safety when driving near roadworks."

(CD/JM)