The Raleigh Area has been growing rapidly in recent years. It has become one of the top cities in the nation to buy a house, raise a family and/or find a job. This growth means that construction sites have become a common scene around the Triangle. Not only are new buildings going up and older ones being renovated, roads are in need of maintenance to support this growth.
WRAL reported that travel time for the next weeks could increase up to a half hour on I-40 East due to such maintenance. They noted that the construction related to the Fortify project (to be completed next year) will last one week on the inside lanes of the split of U.S. 1 and I-440, and then will continue on the other side. According to the article, work will be done on the roads at night only, but traffic flow changes will continue for 24 hours.
Work zones on roads and highways can be perilous for both drivers and workers. Drivers can become confused or impatient, creating danger for themselves, other drivers, and of course, the people working on the road. The U.S. Department of Transportation offers many safety tips drivers can keep in mind as they travel along work zones, such as avoiding tailgating and remembering to follow the posted speed limit. Their website mentions that in the past five years, more than 4,400 people were killed and 200,000 were injured in work zone accidents. Of the deaths, 85% were drivers or passengers in the vehicle.
One fact from the list that truly stands out reads: “it takes only an extra 25 seconds to cover 1 mile at 45 mph compared to 65 mph.” 25 extra seconds. When put in those terms, wrecks that can cause so much devastation that stem from impatience or frustration seem all the more avoidable.
However, if an anxious or impatient driver has caused a wreck that has damaged your car and left you and/or a family member injured, you can seek help. There are many important steps to take after suffering an auto accident, all of which are listed on our website. If you are struggling while trying to heal at the same time as handling the legal issues that can follow an auto accident, please call our North Carolina Auto Accident Attorneys for your free consultation.
Now that we have discussed the dangers work zones can create for drivers, it is important to remember those on the other side that work so hard to keep our roads safely navigable. Working construction is one of the most hazardous jobs that exist. Think about having to work with these hazards in the middle of a highway or a busy intersection. Every reason that a driver should be on alert is a reason that a worker should be as well.
Angry and impetuous drivers are a threat to everyone around them. What if traffic comes to a complete stop? Perhaps bored drivers will pull out their ever-popular smart phones to see what their friends are doing. Traffic moves again and the driver finishes the text message while the car is moving. This seemingly small distraction could end fatally for a worker on the road. If you or someone you know has been hurt while working on the job, we are willing to talk you through the situation. Call us at any time to speak to one of our North Carolina Worker’s Compensation Attorneys.
Written by: Brawley Davis
Sources: WRAL, The U.S. Department of Transportation, and Hardison & Cochran, Attorneys at Law, all linked above
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