National Work Zone Awareness Week Starts Today

Construction workers are
often at grave risk as they work on highways and streets throughout the United
States. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation,  
there were more than 37,000 work zone injuries and more than 500 fatalities in the most recent year
reported. This equates to one work zone injury every 14 minutes, 96 per day, or
about four people injured every hour.

Travelers
Insurance recently provided to
 Market Watch a list of steps that construction workers and construction
companies should follow to help protect themselves while working on a road
crew: 

–Have a Plan – Having
a written Traffic Control Plan based on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD) or state requirements, whichever is more stringent, is critical
in that it is the foundation for safety within work zones.

— Slow Traffic – The
signage a driver and/or pedestrian experiences before entering a work zone in
the advanced warning area can influence their movement through the work zone.

— Create a Barrier –
While the type and extent of barriers utilized within a work zone are typically
dictated within contract documents, the type of barrier ultimately used can
mean the difference between protecting workers or not.

— Be Visible – Make
sure workers are visible with the appropriate high-visibility apparel. This
includes bright colors during the day and retro-reflective gear when working in
the dark.

A road construction
worker is a dangerous occupation, which is why this awareness week is so
important. Remember to slow down if you are driving through a construction
zone, and realize that these workers are doing their job and have families at
home. 

If you are a road
construction worker and suffered a Chicago work injury and a Chicago trafficaccident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a freeconsultation at 312-588-3384. 

2011 National Work Zone Awareness Week Begins Monday

The Chicago Tribune reported this past week about a coalition effort by local and statewide organizations to bring awareness about work zone safety.

On Friday, the groups met to kick off the awareness week and ask people to be cautious of highway workers on the road. Illinois State Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig asked motorists to be alert for construction workers, slow down and drive distraction-free without cell phones.

Though highway auto accidents and motor vehicle fatalities are down in recent years, state officials want motorists to be aware that highway workers are put in a very vulnerable situation. Provisional data show 32 people died in work zone crashes during 2010. The Illinois Department of Transportation says that’s one more death than in 2009 but they add that 2010 had the largest construction season in state history. Worker fatalities decreased from five in 2009 to three in 2010.

Remember to always slow down and to put your cell phone down when driving through a construction zone. 

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Chicago construction zone accident or Chicago car accident, then call Chicago accident attorney, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com