How Often Do Truck Accidents Happen in Work Zones
As you approach any work zone, traffic naturally seems to slow down. That is how it should go. Unfortunately, many motorists and truck drivers tend to ignore the warnings, which can lead to some serious collisions.
How often do truck accidents happen in work zones?
According to the National Workzone Safety Information Clearinghouse, there were a total of 96,000 work zone crashes in 2022. Of that number, 282 fatalities were caused by commercial vehicle crashes.
Common Causes for Truck Accidents in Work Zones
Work zones can involve projects for roads, bridges, tunnels, sewers, or general construction. These zones often require rerouting traffic, which can be challenging for semi-trucks, especially those with oversized loads.
Here are a few of the common causes of why trucks get involved in construction work zone accidents:
Speeding
The majority of work zones require approaching vehicles to slow down.
The Utah Department of Transportation conducted a study that found a fully loaded semi-truck driving at 65 miles per hour needs 525 feet to come to a complete stop. If there are cars positioned in between that braking distance, that can set off a chain reaction of collisions.
Failure to Anticipate
A work zone has a lot going on. In addition to speed reductions, the lanes might be narrowed, workers could be crossing through the zone, and all kinds of barrels and barriers could be present.
If a truck driver fails to anticipate those conditions, it could lead to an accident.
Tailgating
It is very common for traffic to come to a complete stop at a work zone. Truck drivers need to maintain a safe braking distance between their rig and the cars in front of them. A slip of the brakes can lead to a front- or rear-end collision.
Ignoring Warning Signs
Truck drivers need to be vigilant about work zone warning signs and road workers with flags. These signs alert drivers that traffic conditions will change for the duration of the work zone. Ignoring those signs can cause a wreck.
Distracted Driving
Anyone who gets behind the wheel of a truck or car should be concerned about distracted driving. A truck driver who enters a work zone and uses the “slow down” to text, talk on a phone or make other adjustments could be distracted. It only takes a fraction of a second of not paying attention to get into a work zone accident.
Delayed Merge
When trucks approach a work zone, they might be required to merge. If a truck driver waits until the last moment to merge, they could create a bottleneck between the lanes. That can contribute to accidents.
It is not just trucks driving into a work zone that can cause accidents. Motorists can also get involved in a collision with the actual trucks that are being utilized in the work zone such as a dump truck.
If you are the victim of a work zone accident, you can find qualified support with the Trucking Injury Law Group. We are a team of attorneys who support truck accident victims in Seattle and nationwide.
Call to schedule a consultation to discuss the accident and how we can help.
