Southwest Missouri students know orange barrels, highway workers and speeding motorists don't mix. Three hundred thirty-six students recently drew images of ways to convince motorists to slow down in work zones as part of the Missouri Department of Transportation's Work Zone poster contest. The winning posters are on display at Joplin's Northpark Mall April 9-16 at the JC Penney court. They will be at the Nevada Community Center April 16-23.

In 2007, five people were killed in work zones, which is a 74 percent decrease in deaths from 2006 when 19 people were killed.

Eight MoDOT employees have been killed in work zones since 2000.

Motorist inattention, exceeding the speed limit and following too closely are the leading causes of work-zone crashes.

The winners in this year's poster contest are:

1st Place

Liam Haley

Stockton Elementary School

2nd Place

Allie Baldwin

Irving Elementary School, Joplin

3rd Place

Tasha Simon

Irving Elementary School, Joplin