Most Highway Contractors Have Experienced Vehicle Crashes at Work Sites: AGC Study
According to a new highway work zone study conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America, 67 percent of highway contractors report that motor vehicles had crashed into their construction work zones during the past year.
According to a new highway work zone study conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), 67 percent of highway contractors report that motor vehicles had crashed into their construction work zones during the past year. "There are simply too many cars crashing into too many work zones, putting too many lives at risk," said Brian Turmail, national spokesman for AGC. "That is why we are launching a nationwide outreach effort designed to better educate motorists about the need to drive with care in highway work zones."
Turmail said that 70 percent of contractors reported work zone crashes on their projects in which motor vehicle drivers or passengers were injured. Of those crashes, 28 percent involved a driver or passenger fatality.
Crashes in highway work zones pose a significant risk for construction workers. According to Turmail, 28 percent of work zone crashes result in injury for workers, and 8 percent of those crashes result in worker fatalities.
In the study, 73 percent of contractors reported that the risk of highway work zone crashes is higher now than it was 10 years ago. The increased risk is "unacceptable," Turmail said.
In response to the study results, AGC has announced the launch of a new safety education outreach campaign to improve highway work zone safety for workers and drivers. The association will use radio and social media outreach to educate drivers on what they should do when passing through construction sites and to urge drivers to be more careful and attentive in highway work zones.
"When you see construction signs and orange barrels, obey the posted speed limit, keep your eyes on the road, and get off the phone," Turmail said. "No amount of saved time, and certainly no social media post or text, is worth the safety of you, your passengers, or the men and women working on our roads."