subject: Three Injured In Watsonville Construction Zone Accident [print this page] Three people were injured in a multi-vehicle crash in a construction zone near Watsonville.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the accident occurred when a teenage motorist driving a Honda failed to slow down at a construction zone. The 17-year-old motorist lost control of his car, and the vehicle slid sideways. The passenger side of the Honda struck anther Honda Civic, pushing it into a third Honda. The driver of the Civic and his mother sustained injuries. The teen motorist in the first car was also injured. Apparently, construction was going on at a Caltrans work zone when the accident occurred.
There is a reason why highway construction accidents are more dangerous than other freeway accidents. A construction work zone is typically crowded and busy. There are several construction workers around, and part of the highway is cordoned off. The risk of an accident increases when you near a zone, and that's why speed limits in construction zones are lower than in the rest of the highway. In fact, construction workers who already have the highest fatality rates in the American workplace, find that their risk of being involved in serious accidents increases when they are working on a highway construction zone.
The California Department of Transportation encourages motorists to follow these tips when they are driving through a construction zone.
* Follow the posted speed limits. Avoid speeding in a construction zone
* Drive carefully, and stay alert at all times
* Look for construction workers at the scene.
* Don't use your cell phones while driving in a construction zone.
* Turn your head lights on, so that construction workers as well as other motorists can see your car.
* Drive especially carefully through a zone, if construction is going on at night.
* Prepare for delays while traveling through a construction zone. There will possibly be a traffic jam and several minutes lost from your commute, so be prepared for delays, and avoid a negative attitude.
* Avoid tailgating the vehicle in front of you.
* Don't change lanes suddenly and unexpectedly.
Above all, be patient while traveling through.
A few months ago, a survey conducted by the Louisiana State University found that nighttime construction work may be just as dangerous as construction activity in the day time. Very often, state transportation agencies and construction companies prefer to conduct construction work during the night when there is lesser traffic. However, the study found that motorists, who may not expect to suddenly see the bright lights of a construction zone at night, may be at danger for collisions, placing themselves and construction workers at risk. Besides, motorists are more likely to be tired or drowsy in the nighttime, which increases the chances of an accident. Further, motorists who have been driving on a long and empty highway at night, may find it hard to slow down the vehicle when they suddenly come across a construction zone.
by: Robert Reeves
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