Construction zones affect people’s commutes every day, whether you drive on the highway or residential roads. The drive becomes longer, traffic slows down, and sometimes everything comes to a standstill. Although the pace of traffic has slowed, failure to remain attentive while driving through these areas can result in catastrophic accidents.
When traveling in work zones, there are many road changes that can impact how you maneuver through them. Lane closures, lower speed limits, lack of road shoulders, the potential of people and/or construction equipment on or near the roadways, and more are all factors that require your absolute attention while driving. While you can do your best to remain vigilant in these areas, you cannot control how others choose to drive in construction zones.
What Makes Construction Zones Dangerous?
Although construction zones may not seem that dangerous because speeds are reduced, those lower speed limits are one of many things that can lead to more accidents in these areas. But there are also new road layouts that can catch drivers off-guard if they aren’t paying attention. Lanes may be closed, forcing people to merge quickly while still maintaining reduced speeds. Traffic patterns can also shift, sometimes swerving to the other side of the road, and these areas can become congested due to lane closures, making these pattern changes hard to anticipate.
Reduced speeds in work zones can lead to crashes at the beginning of traffic changes. Vehicles moving at highway speeds can be forced to slow down to 15 to 20 mph in a short distance when entering construction areas. Semi-truck operators must slow their vehicles much sooner as they approach because the size of their trucks require more distance to slow down. Combine this with a driver that is not paying close attention to their surroundings, and it can lead to severe accidents.
Additionally, construction zones change every day, meaning the road may have looked one way yesterday and is completely different today. Different lanes are closed, speeds change in other areas, and signage may be altered. There could also be debris in the roadway or improper signage due to quick turnover. Each of these factors require travelers to remain attentive and be prepared for the unexpected in work zones.
How to Avoid Areas Associated with Construction Zone Wrecks
Construction zones are everywhere and affect all types of roadways. Although not every work zone can be avoided, you can optimize your route to avoid areas that have large volumes of construction-related accidents and potentially circumvent heavy traffic.
When planning your travel routes, research if there are any major roads on your journey that are impacted by construction. If there are considerable work zones, you may want to alter your route to avoid those areas altogether. While this may increase the length of your drive, it could prevent accidents.
If you feel comfortable driving through heavy construction but still want to know which areas have high potential for work zone accidents, tools like Semi Crash Map allow you to see how many semi crashes have occurred along your route. Each map marker provides information about the accident that is pinned, giving you the opportunity to make an informed decision before embarking on your journey.
Once you have planned your route and researched where you will encounter construction on the way, you can use Semi Crash Map to look through the past wrecks in those areas and see how many transpired in work zones. If you feel it is too dangerous to drive on those roads, then you can adjust your route accordingly.
Ask David: Episode 88 of After the Crash with Ashley Napier
David W. Craig is the managing partner and a founding member of Craig, Kelley & Faultless, a personal injury and wrongful death law firm. He has authored two books, Semitruck Wreck: A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, to help victims navigate the legal process.
Ashley Napier is the Litigation Supervisor at Craig, Kelley & Faultless. She is a crucial member of the firm’s legal team, working to keep attorneys, file managers, legal assistants, and law clerks on track.
She and David discussed construction zones and how they affect your commute on a recent episode of After the Crash, David’s free podcast. Ranked fourth-best personal injury podcast by FeedSpot, After the Crash educates and empowers listeners.
Ashley asked David questions about construction zone wrecks and tools to help you avoid construction on your travel route during episode 88.
Injured in a Construction Zone Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help
Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both David W. Craig, Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team—including investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics—that is sent to the scene of a wreck to collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired.
Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.
Reach out for a free case consultation today at (317) 434-3520 or online.
David W. Craig is board-certified in truck accident law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
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