No matter where you live, there will be a time when you end up driving on a highway. These are busy areas with a significant amount of traffic, and they often have workers repairing the roads and creating work zones that are congested and difficult to drive through.
Unfortunately, work zone crashes are common. They tend to happen because of distractions, speeding and reckless behaviors, which is why it’s important to take steps to avoid them.
3 steps to avoid work zone crashes
The good news is that you can take steps to avoid work zone crashes just by changing your own driving behaviors a little bit. When you change how you drive, you may be able to minimize the risk of others crashing into you because of their own errors, too. Even better, if you slow down and are more cautious, any crashes that do happen may cause minimal damage.
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Slow down
The first thing to do to avoid a crash is to slow down. Most construction zones have slower speed limits to begin with, but avoid driving beyond what’s reasonable for the conditions. If 55 mph is too quick to maneuver well, slow down more.
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Back off
Give other people space. While you might feel rushed by someone behind you or think you can get around a slower driver, avoid doing so. Just slow down and back off. Give other drivers at least one car’s length of distance between your vehicle and theirs for every 10 mph of speed. So, if you’re going 55 mph, try to have six car lengths between you (this follows the six-second rule).
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Avoid distractions
Avoid changing your radio station, thinking about other things you have going on in your life, eating behind the wheel, sending a text or doing anything else when you are driving in a construction area. By focusing on the road, you’ll reduce the likelihood of mistakes and be able to evade other people’s errors more easily.
These are three tips to help you stay safe. If you do get hit, remember to call for assistance and to look into your legal options for compensation.
