OSEA Safety Blog

Construction Zone Driving Tips

Monday, July 29, 2019 Julia Costa

As the summer months continue, so does construction season in Western New York. And with that comes construction zone speed limits. As much as these might frustrate you or cause you to be late, the number on the sign is extremely important to protect you and the workers around you. In 2017, there were 710 fatal crashes in work zones nationally. Of those crashes, there were 799 fatalities. While traveling to and from on and off the thruway, remember these few tips to stay safe:

  • Pay attention to the orange diamond signs. These signs are a forewarning about construction work ahead. Once seen, slow down and stay vigilant to not cause an accident if lanes are closed and to keep the workers on our roads safe.
  • Watch out for Flaggers! They are used to direct and/or stop traffic in construction work zones. You will know when you’re getting close to one if you see the orange diamond that indicates “flagger ahead”. Make sure to slow down and keep your car as far away from flaggers as possible as to not injure them.
  • Avoid any distracting practices behind the wheel in a construction zone. You never want to text (which is illegal to begin with) or be distracted by your radio in a construction zone. One second you look down and the next, you may rear end someone who needed to stop immediately. Doing this can cause a pile up which can be catastrophic due to the close nature of construction work zones. Better to be safe than sorry!
  • Tailgating is never okay, especially in a construction zone, this practice can cause a lot of harm if the person in front of you needs to stop quickly and unexpectedly. Always be sure to leave two car lengths of space in between you and the car in front of you to allow proper space to stop.

Hopefully some of these tips help you better your construction zone driving. Don’t become a part of the statistic and do your part to drive safely and be an example to those around you!

Work Safe. Work Smart. Work with OSEA. Start Now