Avoiding A New Have Auto Accident During Construction Season

The sun is shining and the warm weather is upon us which means many things, but when it comes to your safety it means that road construction season has begun. You may be traveling around the city, hearing and seeing more construction vehicles and more construction sites popping up as the city tries to repair roads that were damaged throughout the winter months and as they try to make infrastructure improvements during the warmer weather window that they have. This is good for the long-term health of our city, but it can present some interesting challenges for you and if you’re not careful you might wind up getting into a New Haven auto accident as the result of this activity.

Before you even consider passing through a construction work zone there are some things you will need to know to help keep you and the workers safe. First of all, you should be aware of the changing conditions throughout the city. Where there was a construction site today there may not be one there tomorrow so it is important that you don’t assume you know where and when construction will be being done. You may become surprised when you head out, even if a construction zone has been there for weeks, it could be gone tomorrow. Be aware of this so you do not put yourself on “auto-pilot” and assume you’re not entering a construction zone when you really may be.

You should also be aware of the signage that indicates when a construction zone is active so you can make sure you are traveling in the best way possible to keep everyone safe. If you notice a detour sign, follow it. If you notice a lane shift sign, you should be aware that this could be happening in the near future when you are driving ahead. While many people ignore these signs until the very last minute, this puts unnecessary strain on the construction zone as drivers become agitated and congestion grows. When you see these signs and are approaching them, take the necessary steps to make sure you are not contributing to the congestion issue.

Once you have passed into the construction zone there are some things you should take note of and do to make sure you remain safe.

1.) Always expect the unexpected. As mentioned above, construction zones are constantly changing and this could mean that what it looked like yesterday may not be what it looks like today. You need to remain aware of these changes including things like sudden lane shifts, narrowed roadways and reduced speed limits that could affect how you approach driving through the area. If you are alert and aware that the unexpected may happen, then you should be able to navigate the construction zone safely and without issue.

2.) Keep your speed low. If you think you’re driving too slow in a construction zone, that probably means you should slow down even further. There are posted speed limits throughout a construction zone and failure to follow those can lead to dangerous situations for you and the workers who are working on the road. Not only that, failure to follow the posted speed limit in a construction zone may lead you to a fine that is doubled because you are not following the posted speed limit sign in an area of significant danger.

3.) Keep your space. It may become a little frustrating as you pass through a construction zone and the traffic slows to a crawl, but it is important to remain calm and give the cars in front of you space to be able to navigate the construction zone safely. You should also make sure you are leaving plenty of space between you and the construction workers who may be performing some work on the road and need the space to keep themselves safe. If you can avoid it, maintain significant space between you and the equipment that is being used in the construction zone as well.

Progress is being made as you pass through a construction zone even though sometimes it can be painfully slow, but if you are not careful you could be the reason that progress slows to a crawl because you are not following safety guidelines and you may be putting yourself or someone else at risk of getting into a New Haven auto accident. If you take your time and maintain patience while navigating a construction zone you will be able to limit your risk of getting injured and keep you, your passengers and the workers safe.

Accidents in construction zones do happen and when they do injuries may occur. It is important that you have an attorney who may be experienced with your situation working with you if this were to occur. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.