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Photo of Professionals at Griffith, Lowry & Meherg

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For motorists and pedestrians, work zones can be deadly

Every year, thousands of people are injured or killed in accidents involving motor vehicles. Whether they are in a car, on a bicycle or on foot, the dangers of colliding with a car or truck are ever-present and often deadly. One area that does not get enough attention is work zones and the unique hazard they represent.

Work zones and construction zones

For more than a decade, fatalities in work zones have been on the rise. In 2019 alone, 842 people were killed and nearly 40,000 more were injured. This represents a 44% increase in work zone deaths over the previous 10 years. Alabama alone accounted for 28 of these deaths in 2019.

Of the total, more than half of the fatalities (544) were behind the wheel of their car or truck. But the tragic deaths were not limited to drivers – 144 passengers also lost their lives in work zone accidents.

Nearly as many pedestrians fell victim to the inherent dangers of work sites and construction zones. 130 people were killed on foot. Even bicyclists became a horrific statistic, with 10 people dying while passing through one of these areas.

Work zones present unique challenges for those driving through them. Heavy equipment is often used in them, drivers can be rerouted in ways with which they are unfamiliar and all the unusual activity makes people even more prone to distracted driving than usual.

Injuries and death can come from any number of sources – the workers in the area make mistakes at the wrong time or the drivers passing through focus on the activity around them, rather than the task of safely operating their vehicle. The dangers are unique, as are the facts which lead to any accident and resulting injury. Determining liability requires a prompt and thorough investigation – to ensure the injured party receives the compensation they’re entitled to.