Construction zones deadly for workers and motorists
The busy spring road construction season is under way prompting the Department of Safety to urge motorists to be cautious in work zones.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol will step up enforcement in work zones statewide, hoping to reduce both speeds and the number of work zone accidents. Many of the current work zones are located in the areas of Interstate 24 and Interstate 40 around Nashville and have been active for the past few weeks.
“Last year in Tennessee, 29 people were killed in work zone crashes,” said Department of Safety Commissioner Fred Phillips. “The most tragic thing is that work zone fatalities are preventable deaths. Motorists need to remember a work zone exists to improve the roadways. Exercising a few extra seconds of caution while traveling through a construction area increases everyone’s safety.”
The most recent statistics available from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration show 1,181 people were killed nationwide in work zones in 2002. National data shows that work zone crashes occur most often on weekdays, during daylight hours, in the summer and fall months, and in zones with at least a 45 mph speed limit.
State safety department statistics show there were a total of 5,919 crashes in work zones in 2003. In the past three years, work zone crashes have increased 67 percent statewide.
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, there are 16 active interstate work zones in Tennessee. There are 416 other work zone projects on other state routes, highways and other areas.
“Remember, the people who build and repair your highways are your family members, neighbors and friends,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “Drivers should also realize that just because they don’t work on the roads, they are not protected from work zone dangers. Four out of five people killed in work zone crashes are drivers and passengers.”
Here are some suggestions for staying safe while driving through construction work zones:
• Do not speed
• Stay alert
• Observe signs and special instructions
• Do not change lanes
• Keep pace with traffic, but do not tailgate
• Minimize distractions such as phones, loud music, reaching for things
• Be patient
“Work zones are no place for impatient or aggressive driving,” added highway patrol Col. Lynn Pitts. “There is a high cost of ignoring warning signs in construction zones, monetarily and in the toll on lives.”
Not a safe place to travel
Work zones are notorious for vehicle accidents:
• Last year in Tennessee, 29 people were killed in work zone crashes
• There were a total of 5,919 crashes statewide in 2003
• Four out of five people killed in work zone accidents are drivers and passengers