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Construction zone accidents keep happening, despite advisories

On Behalf of | Apr 11, 2014 | Workplace Injuries

Some jobs that New Jersey residents are more dangerous than others. It is perhaps true that one of the more thankless jobs to do in our state is road construction. Many drivers grimace when they see the telltale orange cones and barrels on the highway, even though it means an improvement to their taxpayer-funded roadway is imminent.

Merely having a work zone on a road doesn’t lessen the need for drivers to get where they’re going in a hurry. Many drivers still speed through construction zones, despite clearly marked signs telling them to slow down. This kind of behavior isn’t just unnecessary, of course — it’s downright dangerous.

Many highway construction workers are hurt in job site accidents every year as a result of motor vehicle crashes that take place. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 32,000 people injured in construction zone crashes in 2012, and 609 people were killed.

As it turns out, most of the injuries and fatalities are on the part of vehicle drivers or their passengers. Only 130 of the 609 people killed were road construction workers.

Of course, that is still 130 fatalities too many. Nobody working on a highway crew should be the victim of a preventable accident. As such, highway construction workers — and any other workers — who are the victims of accidents on the job deserve to be compensated for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering as a result of the trauma that they experience.

Source: Fleet Owner, “Finding ways to reduce highway work zone crashes,” Sean Kilcarr, April 8, 2014

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