National Work Zone Awareness Week
Posted April 12th, 2018 by Anthony Carbone, PC.
Categories: Auto Accidents.
With National Work Zone Awareness Week coming to an end tomorrow, the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone wanted to share information about work zones, what happens when auto accidents occur in work zones, and what work zone accidents mean from a legal perspective.
What Is A Work Zone?
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), a work zone is a part of the roadway undergoing construction, maintenance, or repair. These areas of roadway that undergo repair are usually marked with signs, traffic devices, pavement markings, and vehicles needed to perform roadway repair or alert drivers of the work zone.
Work Zone Accidents
We won’t lie. Work zones can be a nuisance. They have most likely aggravated you, not to mention everyone in our law offices at some point. They can slow down traffic and even make it come to a complete stop at times. However, there are plenty of drivers who could care less about the cautious behavior they are supposed to comply with when traveling through a work zone.
Most of the work zone accidents that occur in New Jersey happen because of a driver’s negligence or reckless behavior while driving around workers and vehicles in the work zone. A work zone accident happens every 5.4 minutes across the U.S. In many cases, the accidents that occur can cause victims to suffer devastating injuries which can result in permanent disability and sometimes even death.
Some of the most common causes of work zone accidents include:
- Driving over the speed limit
- Merging into the proper lane
- Distractions caused by phones, eating, drinking, etc.
- Ignoring work zone signs and signals
- Negligence on behalf of other drivers
Who is Liable?
For starters, you will need the help of an experienced auto accident attorney like Anthony Carbone. But, there are some instances in which the construction company performing road work can be held liable for an auto accident that occurs in a work zone. The most common example of a construction company being held liable for a work zone accident is based on negligence of the company’s workers.
Other examples of a construction company’s liability for an accident in a work zone can include:
- Making the work zone unsafe for drivers
- Lack of signs or warnings
- Creating confusion on which lanes to use
- Using faulty constructing equipment
- Not providing enough roadway lighting at dusk or at night
Accidents that happen in work zones mainly happen because of a driver’s negligence. But, that’s not always the case. If you are the victim of a work zone accident and believe your accident occurred because of the construction company, work zone vehicles, or workers, the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone is here to secure your justice. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
