We are now in the middle of work zone season and you cannot drive anywhere without experiencing a work zone. As traffic volumes begin rebounding as COVID-19 lockdown orders are relaxed, renewed emphasis is being placed on highway work zone safety especially as higher incidences of speeding recorded during the pandemic are abating only slowly. “Though overall [motor vehicle] fatalities have decreased in the long run, the top three crash contributors – impaired driving, lack of restraint use and speeding – have persistently each accounted for nearly a third of all crash fatalities,” noted John Saunders, Director of Highway Safety for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, in testimony during a June 30 hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety. Now is the time to reinforce to your drivers the dangers that exist around Work Zones!

Here are 10 tips for driving safely in work zones:

• EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED! (Normal speed limits may be reduced, traffic lanes may be changed, and people may be working on or near the road.)
• SLOW DOWN and TURN ON YOUR FOUR WAY FLASHERS. (Speeding is one of the major causes of work zone crashes.)
• DON’T TAILGATE! KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF YOU. (The most common crash in a highway work zone is the rear end collision. So, don’t tailgate.)
• KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR VEHICLE AND THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT.
• PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS! (The warning signs are there to help you and other drivers move safely through the work zone. Observe the posted signs until you see the one that says you’ve left the work zone.)
• OBEY ROAD CREW FLAGGERS! (The flagger knows what is best for moving traffic safely in the work zone. A flagger has the same authority as a regulatory sign, so you can be cited for disobeying his or her directions.)
• STAY ALERT AND MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS! (Dedicate your full attention to the roadway and avoid changing radio stations or using cell phones while driving in a work zone.
• KEEP UP WITH THE TRAFFIC FLOW. (Motorists can help maintain traffic flow and posted speeds by merging as soon as possible. Don’t drive right up to the lane closure and then try to barge in.
• SCHEDULE ENOUGH TIME TO DRIVE SAFELY AND CHECK RADIO, TV AND WEBSITES FOR TRAFFIC INFORMATION. (Expect delays and leave early so you can reach your destination on time. Check the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse – http://wzsafety.tamu.edu for information on work zone delays throughout the country.)
• BE PATIENT AND STAY CALM. (Work zones aren’t there to personally inconvenience you. Remember, the work zone crew members are working to improve the road and make your future drive better.)