Road Construction and Car Accidents

It seems like every time you need to get somewhere in a hurry, you hit an area that has a road under construction. To most, this would seem like the last place where cars would be involved in accidents because the posted speed limit is usually reduced in a construction zone. In reality, however, this construction area is one of the most dangerous areas to operate a vehicle.  The Occupational Safety and Health Adminsitration (OSHA) reports that drivers can expect to encounter an active work zone 1 out of every 100 miles driven on the nation’s highway system and that during peak season roughly 20% of the national highway system is under construction. With the number of construction sites being so large, the opportunities for mishaps are greater. According to OSHA, more than 40,000 people are injured each year as a result of auto accidents in road work areas. This equates to roughly one work zone fatality every 8 hours and one work zone injury every 9 minutes.

Experienced Road Construction Accident Lawyers

We know that every second counts following a car accident in a road construction zone.  Immediately following the accident, the contractor or subcontractors handling the road project will do everything they can to remove any evidence showing that they may be at fault.  Hiring the right attorney can mean the difference in proving your case.  “We will send a team to the scene of the wreck immediately to photograph, speak with witnesses and diagram the construction zone before it changes. Call us for a free consultation”, says Herb Auger, Partner.

Why there so many accidents in road constructions zones

A few factors can play a role in why the number of road construction accidents is so large.

One of the factors is inattention. When one approaches a construction site, the natural response is to slow down since a construction site may have lane changes and other nuances. Unfortunately, not everyone pays close attention when entering a road construction zone and this could lead to one driver hitting another. Since a construction site usually condenses traffic, the volume is larger than is normally would be so when one car collides into another it usually follows that other cars will join in on the collision.

Another factor that plays a role in road construction car accidents is improper or lack of signage. OSHA sets out guidelines that all construction sites need to have proper signage in order to keep traffic flowing as smoothly and safely as possible. This signage would include a warning that construction will be occurring on a particular date or in a certain amount of distance. This allows for the drivers to properly prepare themselves for either their current travel or future travels on that specific road. Failure to have these warning signs does not allow the drivers to prepare themselves and it could lead to abrupt decisions on their part, resulting in accidents, injuries, and possibly death.

If you have been injured in a road construction related car accident because of the fault of others, whether it is another driver or the construction company, call an attorney from Auger & Auger Accident and Injury Lawyers to hold that party responsible for your injuries.