Virginia Department of Transportation is hosting the National Work Zone Awareness Week, commencing from 11th April 2022 to 15Th April 2022. This year’s theme — Work Zones are a sign to slow down — encourages slow and safe driving in highway work zones.
The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse reports show that a notable number of people killed in work zones are pedestrians, passengers, and motorists. In 2019 alone, out of a total of 840 deaths in work zones, 135 were roadway workers.
Here’s why work zone awareness is so important:
Why Is Work Zone Safety Awareness Important?
Work zones are usually sites of construction, maintenance, and utility upkeeping, where roadworks occur. Being separated from regular traffic roads, they provide a safe area for workers without disturbing general traffic. Spreading awareness about work zone safety can help in reducing the alarming number of traffic accidents happening in work zones.
When more people are educated about safety signs, the number of fatalities in work zones is very likely to decrease. Subsequently, construction and maintenance work can continue unimpeded to improve your future driving experience.
What Are Some Work Zone Safety Signs?
Knowledge of the potential hazards of the construction and maintenance industry is crucial to stay safe while driving through work zones. Different safety signs are placed at worksites to allow workers and drivers to anticipate what is ahead of them. They are classified by color and format to differentiate between the kinds of messages being conveyed.
Warning Signs
Prohibition Signs
They display the actions you need to avoid while driving through a work zone. A prohibition sign is usually a red circle with an oblique red line on a plain white or black background.
Examples of prohibition signs may include ‘No Entry,’ ‘Speed Limit,’ ‘No Smoking,’ ‘No Parking, etc.
Mandatory Signs
White text on a plain blue circle says safety precautions that you should obey. Signs like ‘Stop,’ or ‘Give way,’ ‘Wear Safety Gear’ fall under this category.
Fire Equipment Signs
A fire can break out anywhere and anytime. Fire equipment signs indicate the location and details of equipment needed to extinguish a fire. They can write words or images on a red background. Examples of fire equipment signs include ‘Fire Extinguisher’, ‘Fire Alarm,’ ‘Hydrant,’ or ‘Fire Blanket.’
Safe Conditions Signs
Rectangular symbols with white text/images on a green background indicate an emergency action plan. They include ‘Fire Exit,’ ‘First Aid,’ ‘Emergency Shower’, etc.
How Can You Stay Safe While Driving Through Work Zones?
Avoid Distractions
The leading cause of the increasing number of work zone crashes in Dallas is distracted driving. It is completely preventable. A slight effort to navigate through work zones safely has the potential to reduce accidents considerably.
Although it sounds like a no-brainer, putting your phone down and keeping your eyes on the road ahead is a savior. Work zones are complicated, and they change very often. The area you saw a while ago might change today. Hence driving with total concentration is the key.
Follow Work Zone Signs
While in a hurry, noting a work zone sign can help you take an alternative route, thus decreasing traffic at construction sites.
However, reading and trying to understand what each work zone sign means while driving through the zone is as risky as distracted driving. Learn the rules beforehand, so you know how to respond to signs while on the road.
Slow Down
The speed limit at construction sites is very low as road workers are at a chance of being struck by a fast vehicle. This year’s theme for the national work zone awareness week is slowing down for the sake of your own and others’ safety.
Work zone speed limits are meant to stop dangerously fast driving at work sites. While at a slow speed, it is convenient for drivers to halt immediately if they encounter a barrier or a hindrance. You will also be on the lookout for roadside workers easily at reduced speeds.
Wear Your Seatbelt
Again, a pretty general traffic rule, but wearing a seat belt is of utmost importance in work zones. Crashes at worksites are common, and seat belts can help lessen the severity of accidents.
A seat belt is your defense against a crash.
Watch Out For Other Vehicles
Avoid tailgating at all costs. Tailgating and speeding shorten your stopping distance and only lead to crashes with other vehicles and the roadside workers.
Wear Your Panic Button
If you still find yourself in an emergency, a wearable personal safety device will come to your rescue. Silent Beacon’s panic button connects with your iOS/Android through Bluetooth and allows you to call any number, including 911, at the touch of a button. You can notify any of your friends/family in emergencies via text, push notifications, and email alerts.
Your current GPS location will also be sent to allow you to receive help faster at work zones. The silent beacon safety app is free to download, and there are no monthly charges if you own the panic button. With customizable alerts and multiple alerting methods, it is a patented safety device that will help you deal with accidents rationally.
