Truckers and construction workers have something in common: Both make their offices right in the middle of traffic. The only difference is that workers don’t have an 80,000-pound steel cage to protect them.
Work Zone Awareness Week is an opportunity to become educated on work zone safety. Workers, like truckers, often put their lives on the double-yellow line to keep the nation moving. It is an important token of courtesy to be familiar with work zone safety to make their lives easier and safer.
Before delving into best practices for workplace safety, consider these numbers regarding work zones.
The Facts
- In 2020, 863 workers lost their lives to traffic collisions. In 2021, that number rose to 956.
- In 1997, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) proposed a National Work Zone Week for safety awareness. Today, this week is observed nationwide.
- Though numbers can vary from state, offenders can pay up to $170 in fines for going 1-10 mph over a work zone speed limit. That fine is raised to $320 if a driver goes 16-20 mph over the speed limit.
Try exercising these work zone safety tips to avoid fees and potential tragedy.
Work Zone Safety
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Slow Down
This tip isn’t just a best practice: It’s the law. Obey all signage indicating a change in speed for a work zone. If a sign isn’t posted or is obscured, assume a speed of 45 mph for the highway and less than 20 mph for residential areas.
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Give Space to the Driver in Front of You
This common courtesy is essential in a work zone. Not only can tailgating obscure your visibility, but you could also cause a chain collision in the event of an accident. Work zone collisions can be especially disastrous for the unusual concentration of nearby pedestrians.
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Stay Focused
Flipping through the radio station may be fine on the open road, but it is critical to refrain from doing so in a work zone. Taking your eyes off the road for even a moment subjects you to the risk of pedestrians, debris, and even other drivers.
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Obey Road Crew Flaggers
Road crew flaggers are tasked with your safety. It can be tempting to think that a flagger is slowing you down, but in reality, flaggers have more information than you do. If even one individual disobeys the instruction of a road crew flagger, a crash becomes extremely likely.
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Keep Up with Traffic Flow
Congestion in work zone areas can be dangerous. Unless the individual in front of you is speeding, keep up with them to avoid causing blockages for workers.
Work Zone Awareness Week is an outstanding way to show care and civility toward workers. Should you ever feel tempted to violate any of the safety standards previously described, just remember: You’re not the only one working on the road to keep the nation moving.
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