There Were 497 Highway Construction Work Zone Accidents Last Year In New York

In 2009, construction worker Gary Ferrell was flagging traffic at a New York construction site on State Route 28 when he was struck and killed by a pickup truck. Two years later, his wife Michelle is still fighting to educate drivers about the importance of slowing down and keeping alert in road work zones.

Michelle, New York State Police, and several New York State Department of Transportation officials gathered together on April 6 to observe National Work Zone Awareness Week. Their message was simple: slow down and stay alert when you are driving through road construction zones.

While many drivers don’t think that road construction zone accidents are an issue, those who work in road work zones know better. In fact, just under 500 serious vehicle accidents took place in road construction zones in new York in 2009 and 15 fatal accidents took place across the state.

What can you do to prevent road work zone accidents?

• Slow down. Most construction zones have low posted speed limits – and they are for a reason.
• Pay attention to signs and road markings. You may need to switch lanes, merge, or come to a stop at various points in a road construction zone.
• Don’t get distracted. There may be large machinery, construction work, and other activities taking place in area, but it is important to keep your eyes on the road in front of you.
• Don’t tailgate. At slow speeds, it can be easy to tailgate the person in front of you, but that’s a dangerous choice, especially in a construction zone. Following too closely can lead to rear-end crashes and chain-reaction crashes.
• Stay patient. No one likes to see those bright orange Construction Ahead signs that often mean lower speed limit, delays, and even traffic jams. But the safety of the road workers is much more important than running a few minutes late.