While road repairs are crucial to optimizing road safety, these work zones can sometimes annoy motorists and create a perfect setting for accidents. According to the National Safety Council, approximately 842 people died, and 39,000 were injured in work zone crashes in 2019. But these accidents could have been avoided if the drivers involved engaged in safe work zone driving habits.
Watch your speed
Before you reach a work zone, there will be several brightly colored orange “work zone ahead” signs placed strategically along the road. As soon as you see them, you need to reduce speed and look out for machinery, obstacles, or road construction workers.
As an incentive to ensure that drivers stick to the set speed limit, speed violations inside a work zone often result in double fines. Typically, an interstate speed limit for a work zone without workers on the site is 55 miles per hour but can be significantly lower if workers are on site.
To avoid speeding going somewhere, say like a meeting or an event, always prepare for the unexpected. For example, if you are heading to a two-hour drive destination, give yourself an extra one hour or 30 minutes so you won’t be in a rush when the unexpected, such as a work zone, slow you down.
Follow the flagger’s direction and avoid tailgating
Work zones usually have flaggers at strategic points. The purpose of the flaggers is to direct traffic into the worksite and ensure that both motorists and the workers are safe.
Flaggers wield the same authority as other signs on the road, and you can get a ticket for failing to comply with the flagger’s directions.
While speeds can be relatively low in a work zone, that does not mean that it is okay to tailgate. Due to the nature of work zones, the driver in front of you could apply emergency brakes leading to a rear-end collision. “After a rear-end collision accident, victims should immediately seek medical attention and document the scene of the accident,” says Felix Gonzalez, a San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyer. Therefore, it is vital to ensure you maintain a safe distance between you and the car ahead of you.
Be careful when changing lanes
Often navigating a work zone will require changing lanes. Avoid waiting until you get to the work area and then barge your way into the other lane. Instead, start the process of changing lanes as soon as you see a “work zone ahead sign.”.
The first step to changing lanes is turning your turn signal on to notify oncoming traffic of your intention to change lanes. After turning on your signs, wait at least three seconds before beginning your lane change and another seven seconds before completing the change lane move.
It is also imperative that you know of blind spots when navigating a work area. But more importantly, avoid being in the blind spot of the car or truck ahead of you.
Story by Felix Gonzalez
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