October 4, 2024

By Lane Kimble

Carter Roberts can’t test for his driver’s license for a while.  He has just two of the 50 behind-the-wheel practice hours required.

But the one hour he recently spent learning about the men and women working on roads across Wisconsin should count for a lot when he finally does earn the privilege to drive.

“After this course, I’m definitely more prepared than other people,” Roberts said.

Thursday, WTBA honored Roberts as one of its latest monthly Work Zone Safe Wisconsin (WZSW) scholarship winners.  He received his $500 check at the start of WTBA’s Fall Meeting in Madison.

Roberts, a sophomore at New London High School, came down for the morning with his aunt and driver’s education instructor. Roberts took the WZSW course as part of his classroom portion of driver’s ed.

“It kind of shows that [not paying attention in work zones] does affect people’s lives and what can happen if it goes wrong,” Roberts said of the course.  “But it also showed how, if you’re safe, it can affect life in a good way.”

WTBA and its partners–including exclusive scholarship sponsor Wisconsin County Highway Association–launched WZSW in April.

Since then, more than 1,000 people have taken the free online course.  WisDOT has notified driving schools they can use WZSW to meet a new state law requiring at least 30 minutes of work zone education.

The Association also celebrated its September scholarship winner on Thursday, Macey Nelsonfrom Milton High School, who was unable to join in person.

“I definitely recommend taking the course, it’s very informative,” Roberts said.  “And, if you’re lucky like me, you might be able to get a scholarship.”