Welcome to the 2024 National Work Zone Awareness Week!
With temps warming and much of the country drying out from recent storms, it’s just about time for upcoming summer construction projects to hit high gear. From minor pothole patching to ramp closures and overpass construction, road workers place themselves in harm’s way every day they come to work.
Slow Down
While no one likes the delays that come with work zones, lower speeds are required for good reason. With the exception of a minor improvement in 2018 stats, work zone crashes with fatalities continue to rise. When traveling through work zones, show some consideration to the men and women performing construction and repairs: Slow down and maintain adequate following distance from the vehicle in front of you. Give yourself plenty of time to react to sudden stops.
Pay Attention
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2022 alone nearly 290,000 people were injured in collisions involving a distracted driver. Reaction times for distracted drivers have been estimated to be worse than drivers operating vehicles while intoxicated. When you add distracted driving to work zones and pedestrian workers in the roadway, the outcomes can be devastating.
Save Lives
Whether you’re a worker, construction company owner, or just a driver passing through, the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse has a plethora of information from statistics and safety equipment to laws and events. Check out some sobering data on the impact (pun intended) cell phone use has made on crash occurrence rates and injury outcomes. If you’re a parent, check out NHTSA’s distracted driving campaign and learn about ways to protect your teens and young adult drivers.
In the Event of an Emergency
Unless you’re among the rare group of individuals who remain calm in emergencies, knowing what to do when one occurs means the life you save may be your own. Here are some basics related to vehicle collisions:
- If safe to do so (i.e. your vehicle isn’t on fire or dangling off a cliff), remain in your seat WITH YOUR SEATBELT FASTENED.
- Turn on your vehicle hazard lights.
- If you must exit your vehicle due to imminent danger, move as far as safely possible away from the vehicle (e.g. walk up the grassy embankment). This way, if a distracted driver hits your disabled car, they won’t take you out as well.
- Call 911 if vehicle damage or injuries are present. If possible, wait until first responders arrive to secure the scene before exiting your vehicle.
- Go to the hospital for an assessment, even if you believe you are okay or only suffered minor injuries. In modern times, we rarely struggle for survival and are way out of touch with the power of adrenaline to dampen our ability to sense pain. If you neglected to go immediately after the collision and then start feeling pain in the days that follow, head to the ER as soon as possible.
- If you have critical health issues, consider wearing an emergency alert bracelet (or one of those medical tags that ties onto your shoe). First responders know to look for them.
- Have your emergency information entered into your cell phone. iPhone users have an “Emergency” option on the lock screen with Medical ID data available to first responders in case they are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate.
Our Commitment
Orbital Project Management puts safety first. We ensure our staff receive monthly training on safety issues from workplace hazards to appropriate incident responses. We strive to educate and inform others on safe prevention and response behaviors.
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