Atlanta Paving Construction Projects Makes Driver Caution Essential

Construction areas or work zones are amongst the most dangerous stretches of roadway for the potential of being involved in a serious auto accident in Georgia. The streets of Atlanta are especially dangerous, as a substantial number of roadway construction projects are always under way.

For example, not that long ago paving projects shut down interstate lanes on I-75 northbound, and on the Downtown Connector in both directions.

Roadwork areas can be extremely dangerous and are riddled with distractions and driving hazards. They are a common location for serious auto accidents in Atlanta. Even if the construction zone is well marked and kept free of equipment and debris obstructing the roadway, there are serious risks created by drivers speeding in a work zone, failing to respect the potential hazards and obstructions or making an error because the driver is confused. This serious risk of an auto accident in an Atlanta construction zone is compounded by the fact that many times there is inadequate signage, warnings barriers or other safety measures to prevent construction zone collisions on Atlanta streets and highways.

While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that hundreds of people are killed each year in construction zone accidents and almost 40,000 people are injured, there are steps to take that can reduce the risk of injury if you are traveling through a highway work zone during one of these summer weekends when our streets and highways are inundated by paving projects. These safety precautions include:

• Slow Down: This may seem obvious, but it requires planning so that you allow a longer time to reach your destination if you will be traveling through construction zones. The many obstructions and hazards in a work zone and the high degree of risk of being involved in a car accident is the reason for enhanced penalties in Georgia highway work zones. If you are stopped for speeding in a Georgia work zone, you may face a fine of $100-2000 and jail time.
• Ignore Driving Distractions: Distracted drivers cause far too many Atlanta car accidents. While distracted driving is always dangerous, it is especially so when traveling through construction zones. It can be challenging enough to simply ignore the distractions caused by the construction project.
• Carefully Follow Flagman Directions: The directions provided by the flagman have the same authority as a traffic signal or regulatory sign, which means that you may be given a traffic citation for ignoring their directions.
• Allow Extra Following Distance: It is important to allow plenty of following distance in a work zone area. It is quite common that traffic in a work zone area will come to a sudden, unexpected stop. The uneven flow of traffic in a work zone makes rear-end accidents the most common type of Atlanta construction zone accident.

If you or a loved one is involved in a car accident in an Atlanta construction zone, you or your loved one may have a right to compensation for your injuries or loss of a loved one. Our experienced Georgia work zone accident lawyers have been representing Georgia auto accident victims for over 39 years. Our Atlanta construction zone lawyers are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.