Construction is an extremely dangerous profession. Workers regularly suffer injuries in a variety of accidents, including electrocutions, falls, and much more. Workers who work in road construction have even more risks to deal with every day. In turn, the workers are also at risk of causing injury to others who are passing by the construction site in their cars. For this reason, road construction accidents can result in a large number of accidents, and the United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration reported1 that 87,606 car crashes happened in road work zones in 2010 alone.
Accidents Caused by Motorists
Road construction zones generally have strict safety rules for passing motorists, including lowered speed limits, yield signs, redirected traffic, and more. Drivers must take reasonable care to follow all signs and signals and drive through the work zone safely. If drivers fail to take appropriate care, they may face serious consequences, as Georgia law2 allows for up to a $2,000 fine and up to one year in jail for just speeding in a work zone. Additionally, however, negligent or careless drivers in work zones can cause serious and often fatal injuries to any workers present. In addition to any criminal consequences, such drivers should be held responsible in civil court and should be required to fully compensate workers and their families for their losses.
Accidents Caused by Workers
Just like drivers are expected to act in a manner that keeps workers safe, workers also must act in a reasonably safe way to keep drivers safe. Workers should never leave tools, vehicles, or other items in the roadway that may cause a collision. Additionally, all construction zones should be clearly marked with plenty of warnings for lane closures, detours, and more. If workers do not act appropriately, their negligence may lead to accidents and injuries to passing motorists.
Contact and Experienced Cumming, Georgia Construction Accident Attorney for Help
At the law firm of Spaulding Injury Law in Cumming, Georgia, our construction accident lawyers are committed to helping any injured victims recover from negligent parties. Please contact our personal injury attorneys today for a free initial consultation at 770-744-0890.
References:
- https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/resources/facts_stats/injuries_fatalities.htm
- https://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/bystate/ga.html
