Transportation Safety Training: Work Zone Safety
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Work Zone Safety
"In 2019, there were 762 fatal crashes in work zones, resulting in 842 fatalities. Of those fatal crashes, more than thirty percent (247 crashes) involved a large truck.
Driving in a work zone magnifies the importance of using your defensive driving skills and following safe driving practices.
Always approach a work zone in the same way you would approach any other adverse driving condition. Be on the lookout for:
- Narrow lanes
- Merging vehicle
- shifting lanes
- Slowing and stopping traffic
- Unexpected work vehicles entering the traffic flow
- Speed limit adjustments
- Flaggers in the roadway
- Confused drivers
- Impatient/aggressive drivers
Work zones at night require extra caution. At night, hazards aren't as easy to see and may not be recognized as quickly as they are during daylight hours. Your vehicle's headlights play an important part in safely operating at night and you should not overdrive them. "
Fines & Penalties
"As well as being dangerous, speeding and other traffic violations committed in work zones can be costly to you and your company.
Most states impose enhanced fines for speeding and/or other traffic violations in work zones and typically those fines are double the amount of fines in non-work zones. Some states even sentence drivers to community service and/or jail time for speeding in a work zone."
Don't barrel through work zones
- Pay attention to signs
- Get into the correct lane in advance of lane closures
- Be aware of your vehicle's blind spots
- Slow down
- Obey posted speed limits
- Use the lane furthest from the work zone
- Avoid distractions
- Watch for and obey road crew flaggers
- Watch for workers on or near the road
- Expect the unexpected
- Be patient
- Plan ahead
Speed & space management
"Managing your vehicle's speed and space can go a long way when it comes to safely navigating a work zone.
Proper speed management means operating your vehicle at a speed that takes into account road conditions, visibility, and traffic speed that flow. This included managing all space, ahead, behind, to the sides, above, and below the vehicle.
As part of managing speed and space, please be aware of the fact that the stopping distance for a large truck is much greater than the stopping for a car. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that an 80,000 pound (loaded) tractor-trailer needs about 325 feet to stop when traveling at 55 mph on a dry, level road. This stopping distance is almost 50 percent greater than the stopping distance needed for a mid-size car."