Construction zones are very dangerous and extra caution needs to be used to avoid an accident warns Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne.

We want to be able to get to our destination quickly and safely on smooth roads that have little congestion. In order to reach such perfect conditions new roadways need to be built and existing ones repaired and improved. This means that construction crews will be on the scene with barriers, trucks and equipment. Lanes that may have gone one way may suddenly go a different way or be blocked off entirely. Add to the confusion poor visibility, darkness and bad weather, making construction zones very dangerous says Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne.

A case in point occurred in Jacksonville in December. A 28 year old New Jersey resident, Hezekiah Griggs, III, was killed in the early morning when his parked car was struck by a tractor trailer reports WJXT.¹ His car was parked in the safety zone of I-95 between the right lane of the interstate and the exit ramp to Old St. Augustine Road. The truck driver told state troopers he was in the exit lane but then tried to merge onto the interstate when he rear ended Griggs' car.

The area of the accident, the right lane of I-95 south, was under construction. The lane was recently extended. There was one lane for those going southbound and to exit to Old St. Augustine. The area is constantly changing with improvements, reports Boca Raton car accident attorney Osborne.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration² (NHTSA) states that in 2008 Florida had the second highest number of motorist fatalities in work zones at 81 behind only Texas, which had 134 fatalities. NHTSA has these suggestions for drivers entering into contraction zones:

• Watch for cones, barrels, signs, large vehicles or workers in bright colored vests to warn you and direct you where to go.
• Lower your speed to reduce the risk of an accident.
• Be aware of traffic around you and be prepared to reduce your speed, obey signs and flaggers and increase the following distance with the vehicle in front of you.
• You may tend to ignore work zone signs in areas where a project has lasted weeks or months but traffic patterns can suddenly change including lane shifts or alternating lane closures.
• Be extremely careful when driving through a work zone at night whether you see workers or not.
• Try to travel in the lane farthest away from where workers and equipment are located.
• Be wary of mobile and moving work zones such as line painting, road patching or mowing beside the roadway.
• Expect delays, leave early to reach your destination on time so you won’t feel the need to speed.
• Avoid work zones when possible and use alternate routes.

If you or a family member have been injured in a vehicle accident in a construction zone in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach Counties and have any questions about accident law, contact Boca truck accident lawyer Joe Osborne at (561) 293-2600 or fill out this online contact form. We can talk about the situation, how the law could apply in your case and the best legal options to protect your rights and obtain compensation for your injuries.

‍Footnotes:

1. WJXT http://www.news4jax.com/traffic/crash-kills-one-on-interstate-95-and-old-st-augustine-road
2. NHTSA https://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/teen-drivers/pdf/workzones.pdf