It is important to always pay attention to the road ahead of you whenever you are behind the wheel of any vehicle. However, it is even more important to pay attention to your surroundings and to employ safety protocols when driving in a work zone anywhere in Canada. Work zones can be challenging as well as complicated for drivers. The surface may be substandard, particular lanes of the road could be closed, pavement edge drop offs could be present and the road may change a path that is familiar to you. This also comes in conjunction with signage and workers potentially standing in or near the road.
The problem with safety and work zones is that it is important for drivers to be informed well in advance of the work zone about the impending issues. The presence of workers can increase the challenges for work zones. Some of the most important steps that you can take as a driver are to simply be aware and to adjust your speed in accordance with your surroundings.
Why Work Zones Are So Dangerous
Work zones often mean that there is heavy construction machinery on site and that individual employees may be moving back and forth across the road way near your car. Sowing down and adjusting to any posted speed limit well in advance can assist you with avoiding an accident before it is too late. Make sure that you keep aware of any individual standing in the road way and holding a sign as he or she may direct you specifically to stop, go, change lanes, or turn somewhere else.
Often, accidents in construction zones occur because a driver was not paying attention or failed to heed the request to stop issued by a construction worker. Being aware of your surroundings is often the first step to avoiding a serious accident, but it could also save your life.
With more people, machinery, and obstacles on the road, there’s a higher chance that you’ll be critically injured. With many cars driving slowly close together, the risks of a pileup accident are also higher, so make sure you steer clear of obstacles and other vehicles.
Pay Attention to Audio and Visual Clues
Turn down your radio as you approach a construction work zone and potentially even roll down your windows in the event you need to receive verbal information from the person posted at the slow down point. Make sure that you are aware of the distance between you and other drivers, both as it relates to in the lanes next to you and in front of you as well.
Never tailgate as you approach a work zone. Adjusting your speed and being aware of your surroundings goes farther than minimizing the chances for an accident. It could even save a work zone employee’s life.
Bright signs and warnings are usually posted prior to the slow down site for a construction area and you are being mindful of these and avoiding changing lanes, making any sudden turns or cutting off other drivers can decrease your chances of being involved in a catastrophic vehicle accident. Construction zones should give workers on the road adequate depth and ability to conduct their job without increasing their chances of being involved in a serious car accident. Make sure that as a driver you keep safety top of mind so you don’t have to hire a car accident lawyer due to a crash.