April is Work Zone Safety Awareness Month. If you live anywhere near the beltway or most Maryland highways, you’re likely to see a lot of road work going on. Maryland is consistently trying to improve the condition of the state’s roads to make them easier and safer for Maryland drivers. One of the problems associated with the amount of Maryland roadwork that goes on is the negligence of some drivers. There are far too many distractions available to drivers today: children in the backseat, cell phones and mobile devices, even the need to drive too fast in a world that never stops moving. In the past five years, the amount of injuries and deaths of roadside workers have soared. Driver negligence and lack of attention are mostly to blame. Here are some things you can do to fix this:
1. BE AWARE of WHERE you are and what’s going on AROUND you and AHEAD of you. Keep an eye out for anything ORANGE that signals a work zone and slow down as you approach.
2. AVOID anything that distracts you from the road, such as mobile devices, children yelling, blaring music or even trying to eat or get ready for work while driving. Set your navigation system before you start driving and turn on the speaker so you can hear the directions and not have to look at the screen constantly. Put the cell phone down; it can wait.
3. MOVE OVER into another lane to avoid being too close to roadside workers. Maryland’s “Move Over” Law applies to emergency vehicles, and may soon be applied to tow trucks, and should be used to respect roadside workers. To prepare the next generation of drivers it’s important to teach your children why you’re moving over. Let them know that the people who work on the road have a very dangerous, important job and it’s good to show them respect, compassion, and care while they’re working.
4. SLOW DOWN to allow reaction time for driving adjustments. This not only gives you room, but allows for those behind you to take caution as well.
5. REMEMBER: DRIVING A IS PRIVELAGE AND A RESPONSIBILITY, not a right. We all play a part in keeping our roads safe. Share the road, take caution, and be considerate.
For Work Zone Safety Awareness Month, the State Highway Administration headquarters on Calvert Street will be lit up ORANGE. This should remind you to “THINK ORANGE” and keep a lookout for road workers this month and all the time. At Reliable Contracting, we want to encourage work zone safety since many of our employees work on busy roadsides. If you have friends or family who work roadside jobs, you want to know that people are showing them respect and helping them stay safe. Reliable is a family that operates much the same way. Help keep our employees safe!
If you have any questions about highway safety awareness, thinking orange, or if you’re interested in installing asphalt, please contact Anne Arundel County’s largest site-work contractor today by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website. You can also follow Reliable Contracting on Facebook and Twitter! Reliable Contracting Company serves the following and surrounding counties: Annapolis, Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Howard, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington D.C.
Source: http://www.wbal.com/article/106431/83/maryland-highway-officials-urge-drivers-to-think-orange