Practice Construction Zone Safety

Construction zones can present a driver with a challenge. The zones are usually well marked in advance and require vehicles to start reducing speed in preparation for the upcoming area on the road where the construction equipment and workers are located. This weekend I drove from Nashville to St. Louis for some business this week and was amazed at how many drivers ignore the warnings and instead of following the slow-down suggestions use the opportunity to speed up and get ahead of the people in front of them. This dangerous behavior in turn brings out bad behavior in others. Some of those people who are slowing down and forming one lane as directed begin to attempt to block and retaliate against the speeders by refusing to allow them to merge.

The other danger I noticed was the tailgating by some on those who reduce their speed as directed. When you reduce your speed from 70 mph to 55 mph you should, according to the Tennessee Rules Of The Road, keep one car length for every ten miles per hour you are traveling, not so in these Interstate construction zones. What happens is that the danger of a rear-end collision is magnified. Driver one is worried about the driver 2 right on his tail and is paying more attention to the tailgater then he is to the driver in front of him.

The Dyersburg State Gazette reported on an incident that occurred this past Friday at a construction site up in Dyer County. Traffic began stopping for a construction site and a tractor-trailer was following another too closely and ran into the rear-end of the first one spilling it’s cargo of corn across the highway.

The Tennessee Department of Safety suggests the following:

* Slow down! Drive within the posted speed limits, which are usually reduced in work zones. If you don’t, you’ll pay the price.

* Don’t tailgate! Most work zone accidents are caused by rear-end collisions.

* Eliminate distractions! Put down the cell phone; leave the radio dial alone. This is not the time to look for a new CD!

* Keep your ears open! Do not wear earphones while driving.

* Merge early! You can be ticketed and the cause of an accident for being a last chance merger.

* Watch for flaggers! Follow their signals, and don’t change lanes within the work zone unless instructed to do so.

* Expect the unexpected! Work zones change constantly.

* Turn your lights on before you enter the zone! Turn on your vehicle’s headlights to become more visible to workers and other motorists.

* Stay calm! Remember the work zone crew members are working to improve your future ride.

On March 1, 2006, The Tennessee Department of Safety, in cooperation with the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office, implemented new, tougher driving penalties for teen drivers. This new rule is called Hayden’s Rule. A baby girl, Hayden Maples, was born February 18, 2003, after a teenage driver who had approximately 18 points on his driving record, hit Hayden’s mother head-on. The teenage driver had decided to pass another car on a double yellow line in a construction zone. Tragically, the driver died, and as a result of the accident, Hayden was born with a severe brain injury. Learn about the penalties for teenage drivers under Hayden’s Rule.

If you or a loved one is injured in a construction zone accident contact the experienced Nashville Accident and injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.