Some states confine their road-improvement efforts to a handful of months following an annual dose of rough winter weather.
That is largely not the case with Louisiana, where highway/street work zones – some marked by significant size and complexity – routinely confront drivers across the year.
Ironically, that commonality can breed both elevated awareness and indifference within the driving public. Some motorists are always hyper alert in work areas where frenetic activity and potential dangers feature, while others respond to risk catalysts in a flatly negligent way.
That latter demographic is starkly concerning, of course. Behind-the-wheel behavior that isn’t consistently focused yields serious — too often deadly — consequences for others sharing the road. Those individuals range from occupants in passenger vehicles and motorcyclists to bicyclists and pedestrians.
Safety regulators pass along these work-zone safety tips
Being uniformly prudent is obviously the bottom line for safe driving in a road work zone. These driving behaviors promote that goal:
Being awarae of affected areas in advance, if possible
Slowing down and being ready to stop quickly
Paying due attention to road workers
Steering clear (literally) of congested areas
Avoiding the dangerous practice of tailgating
And there is of course this key tip: Curb the distractions. Distracted driving is a top-tier accident catalyst and roadway killer. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration frequently underscores that. The FMCSA tells drivers in work zones to avoid distractions “such as your cellphone, eating, drinking, the radio, GPS and conversing with other passengers.”
One person driving cautiously is a recipe that broadly promotes safety for other motorists and passengers.
