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Dive brief:
- Sixty percent of highway contractors experienced at least one accident involving a moving vehicle in a work zone over the past year, according to a new survey by the Associated General Contractors of America and software provider Heavy Construction Systems Specialists. About a third reported five or more accidents.
- More than half of contractors said work zone accidents are a greater risk today than they were a year ago, with more than 90% citing distracted driving as the primary cause. Speeding, mobile phone use and impaired driving were also identified as major contributors.
- Contractors overwhelmingly supported stronger enforcement efforts, including increased police presence, stricter distracted driving laws and automated speed enforcement in road work zones.
Diving knowledge:
Highway contractors believe dangerous driver behavior continues to fuel accidents in work zones, delaying projects and putting both workers and motorists at risk as busy summer construction season ramps up
In fact, the annual survey by AGC and HCSS found that among contractors who experienced work zone crashes, 27 percent reported worker injuries, according to the release. At the same time, 59% reported injuries to drivers or passengers.
Deaths also remain a persistent problem. Seven percent of respondents said construction workers were killed in one or more work zone accidents in the past year, while 22 percent reported driver or passenger fatalities.
“Every day, thousands of construction workers across the country work within feet of excess traffic,” said Brian Turmail, AGC’s vice president of industry partnerships and image, during a webinar detailing the survey. “These workers depend on motorists to slow down, stay alert and pay attention to roadway work zones.”
Macrina Wilkins, AGC’s director of market information, said one of the most notable findings from the survey was the growing perception among contractors that work zone hazards are getting worse, although some fatality numbers have improved compared to previous years.
“On the one hand, we’re seeing some numbers improve,” Wilkins said. “We’re seeing fewer contractors reporting fatalities this year than in previous years. But fatalities aren’t the only problem. There’s also injuries, there’s delays, there’s other things.”
The survey found growing frustration among contractors with current enforcement efforts. 37% said penalties for moving violations in work zones should be more severe, while another 39% said existing penalties were not enforced enough. Only 29% believe that current law enforcement efforts help deter unsafe driving behaviors.
“Work zone safety is not just a construction industry issue. It’s a public safety issue,” said Steve McGough, president and CEO of HCSS, during the webinar. “Zero injuries and zero fatalities is the only acceptable outcome.”
Night work zones are also becoming a growing concern. A third of contractors said nighttime accidents had become more common in the past year, with distracted driving, speeding and impaired driving identified as the main causes.
The survey also highlighted the increased costs associated with investments in work zone safety. More than a third of contractors said higher material prices have affected their ability to purchase barriers, signage and other safety equipment. At the same time, contractors are increasingly using truck-mounted attenuators, enhanced warning systems, and additional visibility tools to improve safety conditions.
Heather Agee, director of strategy at Kansas City, Mo.-based IBC Traffic, a work zone safety company, said contractors and traffic enforcement teams are already following extensive safety protocols, but driver behavior remains the industry’s biggest challenge.
“Work zone safety cannot rest solely on the shoulders of workers inside the cones,” Agee said during the webinar. “People are not coming home to their families and that is unacceptable.”
