Car Accident Lawyer
Driving across any road can be hazardous. Any number of factors may affect current conditions, from weather to other drivers. Road hazards present themselves in many forms, especially in areas where the streets are actively undergoing improvements. Construction zone accidents can be deadly, especially when there are workers present. Avoid becoming a statistic and keep these tips in mind the next time stretches of your drive are impacted by road construction.
Slow Your Roll
One of the most critical actions you can take going through a construction zone is to slow down. Usually, posted speed limits are significantly reduced, but this does not always translate to drivers abiding by them. Speeding through these areas may result in deadly consequences for you as the driver, other vehicles and for the workers. While cones and barricades are likely present, these will do little to protect workers from a car that loses control. Reducing speed allows you to:
- Better avoid impediments
- Follow the new road
- Avoid construction workers
- Stay in your delineated lane during a shift
- Follow Directions
Some road construction requires all traffic in both directions to share a single lane. To achieve this, some workers must become flag holders and stop traffic in one direction so the other side can proceed through. Being a flagger can become dangerous if a driver is not paying attention or does not follow work-related signs. Failure to yield to warnings and directions may result in head-on collisions with other cars or construction vehicles.
Act Sooner Rather Than Later
You have no doubt come upon signs alerting you to a lane closure ahead and a need to merge. How many times have you immediately merged? While many drivers do follow the direction fairly quickly, others wait until the lane ends. The reason for this is a lack of patience. The vehicles waiting to cut in at the last minute force all the other cars behind to stop and wait longer. If every vehicle merged at the warning, many rear-end accidents, and some road rage incidents might be avoided.
Remaining safe through a construction zone is easy if you exercise sound judgment. Follow the posted signs, stay aware of what is ahead, and do not take unnecessary risks in roadway areas under construction. While some drivers may not think these veritable obstacle courses are a big deal to speed through, others understand that the cost of making a mistake is too high. If you find yourself the victim of a crash in a construction area, a car accident lawyer in your town can prove beneficial to your case. If you have questions about a car accident case, contact a car accident lawyer, like from Barry P. Goldberg, for a consultation.