In a perfect world, every road you travel would be wide open and designed for safety. But as you know, this isn’t always the case. There are unique circumstances that come into play, such as construction zones.
Here are some tips you can follow to maintain your safety when driving through a construction zone:
- Slow down: The speed limit almost always changes in a construction zone, so keep your eyes peeled for direction. It’s better to drive too slowly through a construction zone than to maintain your speed, as you put yourself, other drivers and workers at risk of an accident.
- Follow the direction of flaggers: Depending on the location and type of construction in progress, there may be one or more flagger in the area providing direction on what you should do. They know best, so follow their prompts.
- Don’t change lanes: While not always the case, many construction zones prohibit lane changes. For example, this is often the case when lanes are narrowed and there isn’t much room to safely navigate the road ahead.
- Watch for large vehicles: Commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses, have an even more difficult time driving safely through construction zones and other areas in which space is limited.
- Beware of construction debris: Even though construction workers do their part in keeping debris far away from the road, mistakes can happen. By thinking about this in advance, you’ll have a plan in mind should you come face to face with an obstacle on the roadway.
Construction zones are a dangerous place to drive, so do what you can to avoid them. When that’s not possible, it’s imperative to follow the tips above to enhance your safety.
Should you be part of a motor vehicle accident in a construction zone, quickly assess the situation, such as whether or not there’s a safe place to pull over.
As soon as possible, call 911 to report the accident and request help. Your immediate priority is your health, but once you’re stabilized you can focus on filing an insurance claim and taking steps to protect your legal rights.
