How To Drive Safely In A Work Zone

by | Sep 4, 2020 | Uncategorized

Roadside work zones are a thorn in the side for most drivers. They cause traffic jams, delays and increase risk of moving violations. But while work zones are frustrating to most, our roadways would quickly fall into massive disrepair without them. Construction workers put their lives on the line when they commit to working on active roadways and their contributions to the infrastructure we enjoy should not go underappreciated.

Below are some tips to ensure everyones safety in a work zone:

  1. Stay alert. This is always important on the road, but it is even more important in work zones. The people working in these zones are incredibly vulnerable, so limit distractions and pay close attention every time you encounter a work zone. 
  2. Don’t tailgate. Even though speeds are often reduced in work zones, you should maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. If the car in front of you has to stop suddenly, you can avoid a collision if you have enough space in front of you to brake quickly.
  3. Obey the speed limit. This is the hardest thing for most drivers to do in a work zone, especially if there is no traffic. It may be tempting to drive the regularly posted speed limit in a work zone, but the speed is reduced in these areas for a reason. It allows you to stop more quickly if required, and overall, it helps keep the roadway workers safe. 
  4. Follow instructions from flaggers. In a work zone, the signals provided by flaggers supersede customary traffic laws. If a flagger is holding a stop sign, you must stop even if you are in the middle of the highway.
  5. Merge conscientiously. A lot of times, work zones lead to the closure of one or more lane. This will require drivers to merge into a reduced number of lanes in order to pass through the work zone. Most of the time, this is what causes traffic to back up. When you are expected to merge, do so with dedicated attention in order to avoid careless collisions.

If you were in an accident in a work zone, contact Karns & Karns for help and representation.