National Work Zone Safety Week is next week and along with our partners at Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, we wanted to bring attention to it because work zones can be dangerous for drivers and especially for the workers. Think about it: you get up and go to work and you constantly have to watch for drivers who may be unsafe or even angry you are doing your job. That’s not right! Last year (2017) 132 workers didn’t go home at the end of their work day. We need to help get that number to ZERO! So, here are some super easy tips to keep everyone safe.
It’s road work time. Spring is when road work really starts picking up, so plan ahead! Expect a few delays, plan for them, and leave early so you can arrive on time while being a safe driver. Take a look at your route before you head out so you can find an alternate route ahead of time, if needed. GPS apps show construction delays.
Pay attention to signs and road crews. You learned that orange is an indicator of risk, so slow down and watch for lane closures, directional signs, and workers directing traffic.
Orange means caution. Work zones require slower speeds, so watch for speed changes and keep a safe distance from the car in front of you in case of sudden stops. Speeding drivers put everyone at risk, especially in work zones.
Move over. Most state move-over laws apply when you are passing road work crews and other official vehicles on the shoulder. In fact, just to be safe, slow down and move over anytime you see something happening on the shoulder. Wouldn’t you want the same treatment?
As always, avoid distractions. Things can happen fast in a work zone, so be prepared by being alert.
Don’t tailgate. Rear-end collisions were the cause of 25% of fatal work zone crashes. Sudden stops are common and should be expected.
Watch us on social media to share messaging and information from this campaign. It’s such a simple call-to-action and one we can all get behind.