22 Oct HOW TO DRIVE SAFELY THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION ZONE
Posted By Gruenberg Kelly Della || 22-Oct-2020
No one likes it when road construction clogs the streets of their city because it usually causes traffic to back up. You can plot a course around construction zones in some cases, but, in other situations, there is just no avoiding it. If you have been driving through construction zones lately due to new projects near your home or on the highways around your city, then you should know some safety tips for drivers traveling through construction zones.
7 construction zone safety tips that every motorist should know are:
- Pay attention: You need to be on alert when driving through a construction zone. Even small construction projects will be accompanied by large work crews and can utilize massive pieces of equipment like cranes and bulldozers. Put away your cellphone, turn off the radio, and be ready to react to unexpected hazards at a moment’s notice.
- Use your headlights: Turning on your headlights will better allow you to notice workers moving near the road. It will also increase your vehicle’s visibility, which will help construction workers avoid it. Whether it is midnight or noon on a sunny day, you should turn on your headlights whenever passing through a construction zone. Just be mindful not to use your high beams, which could temporarily blind a worker who accidentally glances at them.
- Merge as directed: You will probably need to merge or change lanes when passing through a construction zone. Look for signs that tell you when to do so. If you know that a forced merge is approaching, you should complete the maneuver sooner than later. Traffic can get tricky and clogged up when people try to wait until the last second to merge out of a lane that is ending.
- Do not tailgate: Tailgating is a dangerous driving behavior in every situation, but it is all the more dangerous in a construction zone. Sudden hazards may require the car in front of you to come to a complete stop with little warning. If you are tailgating, then you will likely rear-end them, possibly causing an injury as serious as whiplash.
- Slow down: The speed limit in a construction site will usually be noticeably reduced compared to the surrounding area. In many situations, the speed limit cannot exceed 25 or 35 miles per hour, for example, even when the road that travels through the construction zone is a thoroughfare with a 55 mile per hour speed limit on an average day. With this in mind, you should always expect to slow down to some degree when approaching a construction zone.
- Watch flaggers: Construction crew members called flaggers are in charge of directing traffic through complex construction zones. They should be noticeable because they wear brightly colored vests and hold stop signs or flags, hence the name. Flaggers should be given as much authority as you would an officer of the law. Follow their directions as closely as you can to keep everyone safe.
- Research ahead of time: If you know that construction is happening in your city, then it does not hurt to research about it before you head out. Checking your state’s or your county’s transportation department or board can uncover information about construction zones, including detours, speed limits, and when the construction should be over. A little bit of foresight can add a huge amount of safety to your trip.
If you are hurt in a Long Island construction zone accident as a driver or a worker, you can count on Gruenberg Kelly Della for legal representation that helps you manage a personal injury claim. Contact us online today if you would like to know more about your rights as an injured party and our legal services.