Stay Alert: Work Zone Safety Tips For Upcoming Road Construction Season

Coastline Academy's mission is to eradicate car crashes. We want to keep everyone safe on the roads, and that includes workers in construction zones. Highway work zones are hazardous for both the motorist navigating signs and barrels and the workers trying to maintain our streets, highways, and bridges.

Between 1982 and 2017, the Federal Highway Administration reports that 27,037 individuals lost their lives in work zone crashes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1,844 workers lost their lives at road construction sites between 2003 and 2017. In that timeframe, Texas had the most worker deaths at 218, followed by Florida (132), Pennsylvania (91), Illinois (83), California (76) and Tennessee (70).

Work Zone Safety Tips

To help keep everyone safe and do our part in helping to lower work zone-related incidents, here are some safety tips all road users should follow:

• Remember that work zones are busy places where construction vehicles and workers are constantly moving! Driving is a dynamic activity - keep your eyes and ears peeled for changing conditions.
• Stay alert and stay on the path that is designated throughout the work zone. 
• Avoid work zones altogether by using alternate routes when possible. 
• If you can't avoid work zones, allow for more travel time, slow down, and consider sharing a ride with someone to reduce congestion.
• Pay attention to all signage near, around, and in work zone. If you don't, you could find yourself in a serious accident. 
• Work zones may pop up suddenly - always be scanning ahead while driving.
• Work zones require time and courtesy. For a smooth passage through work zones, allow others to merge in front of you in a "zipper merge" ("alternate merge") format.
• Be especially considerate to trucks. They require more space to merge and are the least maneuverable vehicles on the road. Trucks have large blind spots, and may have issues seeing cars trying to squeeze in close to the front and sides of their vehicle.
• Aggressive drivers can be extremely dangerous while driving in work zones. Take a deep breath and don't force the issue.

Keep these work zone safety tips in mind this upcoming road construction season - let's keep everyone safe on the road!