While summer driving may seem like a blessing in comparison to the high-octane catastrophes of the winter, there is one dangerous facet of summer driving that is often disregarded: Construction work. Unfortunately, warmer months often mean the presence of more construction zones. Indeed, as the sun gets brighter, so do the uniforms of public workers who litter the summer streets, ensuring that our roads remain in top shape for the future months.
While these zones are vital for our community, they also offer a number of safety hazards for drivers. Surprisingly, it seems that the general public has become desensitized to the presence of these threats according to statistics.
The Federal Highway Administration reported more than 87,000 work-zone accidents in one year alone.
Often-Ignored Dangers
The threats of construction zones are relatively obvious. They are hindrances on the road, stalling normally productive roadways and further concentrating traffic. They add hours to transmit time, illicit road rage from drivers and increase the potency of crashes.
More specifically, the most important ramification of construction zones is their lowered visibility level. When construction teams put up roadblocks to repair roads, they often do so at the expense of the driver’s visibility. This trade-off multiples the likelihood of getting into a crash as drivers can no longer effectively gauge where they’re going. Furthermore, if a driver somehow gets him/herself into a bad situation in a construction zone, limited visibility also means that their potential for correcting their mistake is much lower.
However, the most dangerous aspect of work areas is the increased risk of a fatality that comes along with it. Believe it or not, there’s a good reason why the legal punishment for speeding in a construction zone is so much more severe. Unlike most areas of the road, workers are constantly exposed in these areas, meaning that a crash kills more often than not.
Avert the Perils of Construction Zones
Fortunately, where there’s a will there’s a way. As long as you remain conscious of the dangers of construction areas and follow these following tips, you can maximize your safety on the road:
- Don’t challenge the law. Speeding in any situation is discouraged, but especially in construction zones. Not only is it more severely punished, but also one minor mishap can very easily take an innocent worker’s life.
- Respect the workers. Unfortunately, as mentioned before, you have limited visibility in these areas. Thankfully, the traffic flaggers do. Follow their signs and only proceed once they tell you to.
- Be aware of the workers. While few and far between, negligent workers who are at the wrong place at the wrong time can also be the cause of an accident. As long as you keep your eyes on your surroundings and practice good defensive driving skills, you should be fine.
- Be patient. It is inherent to any work area that things will slow down. Don’t lose your cool – it’s not the end of the world. Keep calm and everything will workout.
The dangers of construction zones should never be overlooked. Recognize the problem, proceed with caution, and stay safe!
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in an automobile accident due to another driver’s negligence, contact my office immediately. As your Ohio motorcycle accident attorney, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For over four decades, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus, Dayton and neighboring communities. You can reach Tim by email at misnylaw.com/ask-tim-a-question/ or call at 877.944.4373.
