Everyone knows parts of the United States and Canada have two seasons: winter and road construction. Your employees can easily become upset and distracted when the dreaded orange barrels impede their progress to a service call — especially if it’s an emergency — or the highway becomes a one-lane parking lot.
The U.S. National Highway System expects at least 3,000 work zones, or one every 100 miles, during the peak of this construction season. Most of us assume that highway workers are the people at risk, but of the 1,010 persons killed in work zones in 2006, 85 percent were drivers or vehicle occupants. According to Federal Highway Administration statistics, 160 work zone injuries occur daily — one every nine minutes. A fatality occurs every 8.7 hours, almost three a day.
Fighting back
Work zone deaths and injuries have increased because of more construction projects and inattentive driving in heavy traffic. Employers, however, can help their workers overcome the frustration and impatience that road construction delays often generate by stressing that they are responsible for making lifesaving decisions.
“Put yourself on high alert,” advises Barbara Manning Grimm, editor of Safety Smart! Online. “Be aware of your surroundings, including the construction activity, signs, signals, and flagger instructions.”
Your company’s driver safety program probably stresses the dangers of speeding, but make your employees aware also that speed is a major cause of work zone crashes, and that rear-end collisions are the most common type of crash. If your drivers can’t avoid work zones, have dispatchers schedule enough time to compensate for delays.
Advise drivers especially not to make cell phone calls or switch the tune on the radio or CD player while driving through a work zone. Because construction activities change continually (the work and equipment are often the biggest distraction), employees must pay extra attention to the road ahead and be alert for any obstacles.
“Hazards develop unexpectedly, such as loads on trucks and buckets on backhoes extending suddenly into your lane,” says Grimm.
“Watch what’s going on around you. Be prepared to take action quickly. Gear down if necessary, and stay ready to brake. Check your rearview mirror to see if other vehicles are slowing accordingly. If not, flash your brake lights.”
Slow for the cone zone
Remind your drivers not to exceed the posted speed limit, as fines for speeding in work zones are hefty. They should follow speed limits even if they do not see anyone working; otherwise, they could be going too fast to negotiate narrow lanes, sudden turns, and rough road surfaces. Stress that you expect your drivers to be patient and stay calm, enabling them and the people building the roads to make it home safely.
The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse has a free Know the Signs poster that illustrates various work zone safety signs your drivers will encounter. Contact lmccluskey@artba.org to order it.
Employees comfortable with computers can take a short quiz offered by the Federal Highway Administration on what the signs, signals, and cones mean. Go to www.workzonedriver.org/index.htm, click the For Teens tab, then Know the Signs. Drivers of all experience levels will benefit from the review.
