When driving through work zones, even the smallest mistake can be deadly. Sadly, more than 700 people die each and every year as a result of work zones crashes. And, believe it or not, 80% of these deaths involve motorists and not highway workers.
Major contributing factors in work zone crashes include:
- Not paying attention
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Following too closely
- Failure to obey the posted construction speed limit
Keeping Safe in Work Zones: Obey the Construction Speed Limit
“Please understand that when you drive dangerously through a highway work zone you’re putting the lives of highway workers at risk,” warns the Maryland Department of Transportation (DOT). “At the same time you’re risking your life and the lives of your loved ones. That’s because four out of five people who die in highway work zones are either drivers or their passengers.”
These following tips from the Maryland DOT could save your life or the life of a fellow motorist or construction worker:
- Know Before You Go: Contact Maryland’s official travel information service, Maryland 511, by calling 511 or visit the web site at www.md511.org. You can also learn about major upcoming construction projects with the DOT’s annual Road Ready e-brochure (PDF, 2MB).
- Be Prepared: When you see orange cones on the horizon, be prepared to slow down. There is a construction zone ahead.
- Stay Alert: Reduced speed limits, congested traffic and narrow lanes make for a stressful driving situation. Stay alert and be on the lookout for work zone signs, dictating what to expect ahead.
- Merge Early: The sooner motorists merge, the better traffic will flow. This will greatly reduce the risk of an incident.
- Keep Your Distance: Don’t follow cars too closely, this greatly reduces your ability to react and increases the likelihood of an accident.
- Obey the Construction Speed Limit: Work zones are filled with potential hazards, from highway workers to other motorists. Because of this, it is important to obey the posted construction speed limit.
Stay alert. Stay safe!
If you have any questions about Keeping Safe in Work Zones or if you have a construction project that you need completed right the first time, please contact Reliable Contracting by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
When you choose Reliable Contracting, you not only choose Anne Arundel County’s largest site-work contractor, but also a company that prides itself on quality, customer service, and, most importantly, SAFETY.
Reliable Contracting serves Central-Southern Maryland.
Sources:
Drive Safely in Work Zones Maryland Department of Transportation