Why Is It So Dangerous to Speed in a Work Zone?
Speeding in a construction zone is extremely dangerous, and it comes with a steep price. Those who are ticketed for speeding or driving recklessly in a work zone often face massive fines and points on their license.
Learn more about the dangers of work zone speeding and how you can keep yourself safe. If you’ve been injured in a crash, call Hedge Copeland at 251-432-8844 now.
Narrow Lanes
To start, work zones often have much narrower lanes than the open road. Lanes are generally narrowed to provide workers with more space, which means you have a lot less wiggle room for drifting. It is crucial to stay within your lane at all times, and speeding makes it hard to avoid crossing the line and putting yourself at risk for an accident. Slowing down makes it easier to stay in your lane and protect yourself.
Unexpected Lane Changes
Construction also comes with unexpected changes in lanes. There may be extra lanes, sudden lane closures, or lanes may be dedicated specifically to turning, going straight, or exiting. If you’re speeding, it’s hard to see the signs alerting you to these changes and change your plans accordingly. Slow down, give yourself some extra time, and adjust your travel plans as needed to accommodate differences in lane patterns.
Equipment Moving In and Out of the Road
Work zones are incredibly busy areas. You could easily see upwards of a dozen construction workers, hundreds of thousands of dollars of heavy machinery, and work vehicles moving in and out of the workspace.
While construction workers and foremen are careful to limit the amount of time they spend on the road, sometimes they have to enter the road to align a vehicle or complete a task. When this happens, you must be able to stop in time, wait for them to move out of your lane, and then proceed.
If you are zipping down the road at 15 miles over the speed limit, you are both less likely to see them in your lane and less likely to be able to stop. Not only is this dangerous for you, but it also puts construction workers at serious risk of a fatal accident.
Construction Workers Near the Roadside
Construction workers cannot avoid working near the roadside. It’s part of their work zone, and it is part of your job as a driver to keep them safe. If you are driving too fast to stop in time to avoid a worker, you are speeding and risk being ticketed. Even worse, you could be responsible for the death or serious injury of a construction worker.
No amount of time saved is worth having that on your conscience. Drive slowly enough that you can keep an eye on the construction site, notice anyone moving towards the road, and prepare accordingly.
Traffic Backups
What else comes with changes in traffic lanes, closed lanes, and narrow lanes? Traffic backups. Everyone knows the pain of being stuck in bottleneck traffic in a work zone. While there’s no way to avoid this, you can avoid making it worse by making sure that you are driving at an appropriate speed.
Speeding does not get you out of a bottleneck faster. All it does is increase your likelihood of an accident. It’s frustrating when people try to squeeze into your lane in this type of traffic but avoid riding other cars’ bumpers to keep other vehicles out. It’s not worth the stress and the risk of an accident. Leave plenty of space, drive slower than you think you need to, and keep your stress levels low.
Call Hedge Copeland for Help with Your Accident Claim
If you’ve been injured in an accident, it’s time to talk to an attorney and figure out what your next steps are. We’re here to help. Give Hedge Copeland a call at 251-432-8844 or fill out our intake form to find out what we can do.
