Work Zone Safety Starts with You! - Spec On The Job

Work Zone Safety is a huge concern in the community. Workers are injured or killed from work zone accidents. This article highlights the number one cause of car accidents within work zones.

Number 1 Thing to Remember

According to the Department of Transportation’s recent study, cars not leaving enough room between them and the vehicle in front is the leading cause of accidents in work zones. Although there are numerous other causes, inadequate space between cars is the most prolific. Highway work zones are often the sites of car accidents and collisions. Use extra care and attention when driving in these zones. A useful tip for avoiding accidents in these situations is to leave more room between you and the car in front of you than it would take you to safely slow down in the case of a sudden stop by the car in front. By leaving space and not following the car ahead too closely, a driver will have more time to react in potentially dangerous situations.

Main Dangers to Watch out For

While driving through highway work zones it is important to remember that your life and the lives of other drivers as well as those of construction workers nearby are more important than whatever is making you drive dangerously. Keeping a good perspective will help you to choose safety over reaching your destination a few minutes sooner. Many times in these work zones, construction workers are standing close to or even on the road. This is another reason why driving cautiously is of the utmost importance within highway work zones. Making work zone safety a priority is important because it could mean the difference between life and death for a construction worker or fellow driver.

Some Statistics

• Following too closely is responsible for 5,329 accidents between the years of 1999 and 2014.
• Driving too fast, on the other hand, was only the cause of 1,018 accidents during the same time period.
• Changing lanes at inappropriate times caused another 2,166 accidents; combined with speeding still does not equal the number of accidents caused by following too closely.

The Bottom Line

When approaching a work zone, drivers should always remember to leave extra space between their own vehicle and the vehicle ahead of them. This is important to remember as the number one leading cause of work zone car accidents is following too closely. These unnecessary accidents, collisions, injuries, and deaths are preventable. Remember work zone safety starts with drivers like you!

Source: Hartford Courant

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