As the sun shines for longer and longer each day, Connecticut welcomes in a new season: roadwork. With the return of construction projects on both major highways and rural back roads, roads not only become more perilous, but the risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident also increases.
In 2009, over 650 people across the nation died in work zones as a result of car accidents. Of those killed in road construction zones, only 20 percent were highway crew workers – the rest were drivers and passengers traveling through the work zones.
The good news is that the number of work zone fatalities has slowly been decreasing over the years, but the bad news is that preventable accidents continue to happen. To help prevent car accidents in road construction zones, drivers should keep a few easy steps in mind:
•· Pay attention to signs, as they will inform you of proper speeds and warn about road conditions and unexpected hazards.
•· Use your headlights and maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you. According to Connecticut data, most work zone accidents involving rear-end crashes.
•· Watch your speed and slow down – you never know what might suddenly appear in the road while driving through a work zone.
•· Keep your eyes on the road and wear your seat belt. Do not fiddle with the radio or answer your cell phone when driving through a work zone.
•· Stay in your lane. Lanes may close unexpectedly and the speed of traffic may drastically change, so staying in one lane can reduce risk of an accident.
By taking these basic steps when driving through areas of road construction, especially when highway road crews are present, you can help prevent accidents and related injuries.