Construction Negligence can Result in Serious Injury
Roadways can disrepair because of age, long-term exposure to inclement weather, overuse, and even vandalism. To battle the problem of aging, dilapidated city streets and highways, municipalities and state governments approve construction projects to improve the quality and convenience of their roadways. While the finished product can be quite an improvement, navigating the minefield of construction sites can be a nightmare for motorists—particularly when construction crews aren't committed to maintaining safety protocols or the overall safety of the construction site. Unfortunately, accidents at construction sites happen more often than most people realize, injuring or killing hundreds of motorists, pedestrians, and construction workers yearly. The law is on your side if you were injured in a construction site accident caused by a construction crew's negligent actions.
Common Construction Site Safety Issues
Construction workers have a difficult job. Not only do they have to work on the side—or even in the middle—of busy, dangerous roadways, they're also frequently tasked with rerouting vehicles, closing down lanes of traffic and temporarily redrawing lanes. If safety practices aren't the focus, they can get lost in the shuffle and injuries can occur. Common causes of construction site accidents include:
- A lack of appropriate signage indicating roadway changes
- Debris or construction materials in the road
- Equipment parked in the roadway
- Insufficient nighttime lighting
- Failure to post speed limit reduction signs
- Poorly marked lanes
- Failure to block off the construction site with temporary fencing or barriers
Injuries and Property Damage at Construction Sites
When passenger vehicles and heavy machinery collide, the results can be disastrous. Construction site accidents can cause several painful injuries, including whiplash, bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, brain damage, and even death. Motorists can do their part to avoid these and other construction accident-related injuries by paying careful attention—and driving defensively—in construction zones.
Construction site accidents can also cause significant property damage for motorists and the construction company. For motorists, property damage may come in the form of extensive damage to their vehicle and its contents, or a vehicle being towed (if applicable), while construction companies may face damaged machinery or damage to the site itself.
