Statistics show that the most dangerous thing your employees do all day is get in a motor vehicle and drive. Navigating a construction work zone makes driving much harder, with risks to drivers and to construction workers.
This year’s theme for National Work Zone Awareness Week 2018 is Work Zone Safety: Everybody’s Responsibility.
Here is what you need to know about work zone related accidents:
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- During the past 5 years in work zone crashes more than 4,400 persons died and 200,000 injured.
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- Drivers are the most frequent fatality in work zone crashes.
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- Most work zone fatalities involve working-age adults.
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- Rear-end crashes are the most common type of work zone crash.
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- Fatal work zone crashes occur most often in summer and fall.
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- The majority of fatal work zone crashes occurred on roads with speed limits greater than 50 mph
- Stopping distance for motor vehicles at 50 mph:
- Dry roadway~300 ft
- Wet roadway~400 ft
- Icy pavement~1250 ft
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- A loaded 80,000 lb. tractor-trailer requires almost 50% more stopping distance.
Sources:
Visit this web site for a wealth of information and products about this important workplace safety issue, https://www.workzonesafety.org/meetings-and-events/wz-awareness-week/.
This web site from the Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration is also dedicated to National Work Zone Awareness Week 2018. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/publicinfostrategies/programlevel.htm.
