To protect yourself – and your vehicle – and to prevent collisions with other vehicles, there are a few rules to remember when driving in construction zones:
(1) Pay attention – eliminate any activity that could be a distraction
(2) Don’t Tailgate – Sudden braking may become necessary; leave plenty of room between yourself and other vehicles
(3) Don’t Speed! – speed increases the likelihood of a collision, and most states double fines for speeding in a construction zone
(4) Merge as soon as possible – Do NOT wait until the last minute to merge. Merge as soon as you have the opportunity.
(5) Be Patient – Slow down and pay attention to what is going on around you.
If there is a collision, the investigating officer will always assign responsibility to the party who was making a lane change or turn. These are high risk maneuvers everywhere – especially in a construction zone.
