8 Tips for Road Safety in Construction Zones
- Nov 14, 2012
The Great American Highway is decaying - it's crumbling, a part of the national infrastructure that badly needs a facelift. That said, highway construction zones are popping up everywhere.
Drivers must put up with long delays, lane changes, congestion and ultimately frustration while commuting. And sometimes construction zones are unavoidable, so drivers have to take care, caution and extra time to get to where they're going safely.
Drivers must put up with long delays, lane changes, congestion and ultimately frustration while commuting. And sometimes construction zones are unavoidable, so drivers have to take care, caution and extra time to get to where they're going safely.Being a safe driver comes with the responsibility to exercise caution, good judgment and put workers first in highway construction zones.
Here are some best practices for entering into and driving through highway construction areas:
- Give yourself adequate time to get where you're going. Ever notice you hit every red light only when you're late?
- Check the traffic patterns on TV, radio or internet websites prior to departure. You may even be able to plan a route around heavy traffic or construction areas.
- Take the time to read the signs. Signs can tell you how fast to go, what lies ahead and when congestion should clear up. they'll also tell you when you've exited the zone.
- Use your headlights even in the daytime. Making your vehicle more visible also helps roadside workers.
- Keep a safe distance. Unexpected stops are prevalant in construction zones and rear-end collisions are commonplace.
- Obey flaggers.
- No texting while driving. Talking on a cell phone, tuning the radio, eating, reading, or other similarly distracting activities can quickly lead to an accident.
- And most of all - SLOW DOWN! Many accidents can be avoided just by going a little slower. This increases your reaction time, and allows workers to more safely maneuver throughout the workzone.
With a little more care and caution, we can lower the risks of injury to roadside workers, and improve our nation's highways for generations to come.