Work Zone Accident Prevention

The Chicago Tribune reports that since 1995, the number of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in the state of Illinois who were injured in construction work zones amounted to over 3,000 people. Almost three-quarters of those injuries took place in the Chicago metropolitan area alone, giving both drivers and roadway officials further reason to continue to pay serious attention to car accident and personal injury risks in work zone areas throughout the city and state. Inherent Dangers of Roadway Work Zones A number of inherent dangers exist in construction zones, making them an ongoing challenge for everyone traveling through or working in their vicinities. From narrower lanes to sudden changes in road markings, work zones present multiple hazards for drivers. Turns are sharper, heavy equipment and construction trucks pass through active traffic lanes, and visibility is often poor due to road obstruction, dust, and fumes. Add to these obstacles the concrete barriers that sit on the roadway shoulders as drivers attempt to navigate the roads, and you have a recipe for all kinds of potential accidents. The Chicago Tribune attributed most work zone accident rates to drivers’ tendencies to abruptly switch lanes, tailgate, or merging poorly. Above all, failure to observe and follow the reduced speed limits is cited as the largest cause of accidents in work zone areas. Speeding, in general, is always a risk, even under the best roadway conditions, so it is not surprising that speeding in work zone areas is a cause for significant spikes in accident and injury statistics. Efforts to Combat the Problem

In response to the problem, officials from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have made several efforts in the past to slow down vehicles passing through work zones, as risks for injury have proven to be just as high for the workers employed in these zones. While IDOT reported the fatality rate to be around 35 deaths annually, one-sixth were found to be construction workers, and the Federal Highway Administration has said that work-zone deaths have reached up to 800 annually.

Highway officials, safety specialists, and engineers have all worked together to utilize everything from fluorescent orange warning signs and doubled speed fines to single-lane traffic strategies to deter drivers from speeding. The concept behind the single-lane restriction strategy has been to force all drivers to conform to the speed of the driver in front of them, a method that has been useful over the years. While these tools cannot always guarantee accident prevention, they certainly help to reduce collision incidents on our Illinois roadways.

If you have experienced an auto accident in a work zone due to another driver’s negligence, you are not alone. Speak with a qualified Lake County car accident attorney right away to inquire about your rights and how to best protect yourself in the aftermath. Call Salvi & Maher, LLP today at 847-662-3303 and make sure you receive the compensation you rightfully deserve.

Source:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-07-15/news/9707150216_1_construction-zones-work-zone-accidents