10 Safety Tips for Driving in Construction Zones

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury

The road conditions are a major factor in many car accidents. Road conditions such as decaying shoulders, potholes, defects in the pavement and improper/inefficient maintenance of traffic are concerns that must be constantly addressed. In order to address these issues it is necessary that roads be maintained, refurbished and new roads added.

This all requires road construction and the dreaded construction work zones. It seems like Highway 19 in Clearwater has been under construction forever and driving it requires patience, but the construction is necessary. It is also necessary that everyone learn to navigate these road construction areas in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg safely.

Florida Construction Zones are Among the Most Dangerous

Fatalities in construction zones have been on the decline since 2003.[1] However, car crashes in construction zones in Florida are a fairly common occurrence. In fact, Florida, Texas and California are the states with the most construction zone fatalities in the United States.[2] Not surprisingly, Florida road workers are more likely to be injured or die as a result of a car accident in a construction zone than road workers in other states. The sad thing about these statistics is that just about every construction zone accident could be avoided.

10 Simple Tips for Driving in a Construction Zone

First, nobody likes to drive in a construction work zone. Everyone cringes when they are road trip and see that dreaded “Road Work for the Next 20 Miles” sign. Everyone hates the semi-truck drivers when they attempt to regulate the flow of traffic by blocking lanes. Basically, semi-trucks are attempting to regulate the flow of traffic through construction zones and stop the “late mergers” from cutting into the flow of traffic. There is a great debate raging on whether late merging or early merging is more effective.[3] I am not going to get into that in this article, maybe tomorrow. My point here is that construction zones are frustrating for all drivers, but if everyone were to follow these 10 tips, work zones would be much safer for motorists and workers:

1. Slow down;
2. Follow the speed limit;
3. Do not tailgate;
4. Do not pass on the shoulder;
5. Pay attention;
6. Keep your temper in check;
7. Expect delays;
8. Do not get distracted or play on your cell phone;
9. Watch for tailgaters; and
10. Do not resume normal speed until you see signs.

Contact Jones Law Group

Have you or a loved one been injured in an accident in a construction work zone? Contact an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury lawyer at Jones Law Group today. When you contact our office we will immediately set an appointment where you will meet your attorney and be provided with his/her personal contact information. If you do not have transportation or you cannot drive, your attorney will travel to meet you and discuss your case with you.

Whether you were a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or the occupant of car, motorcycle or boat and have been injured in an accident, you should immediately call an experienced personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg at Jones Law Group at (727) 571-1333 during regular business hours or (727) 753-8657 on weekends or after regular business hours. We will evaluate your case for free and you will never pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for your injuries.

Jones Law Group
5622 Central Avenue
St. Pete, FL 33707

References:

[1] http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/highwayworkzones/

[2] http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/highwayworkzones/

[3] http://www.drdriving.org/index.htm#The_Great_Merging_Debate