Work zones are an ever-present danger on roadways in Michigan and across the nation for vehicle occupants and road construction workers.
If you are coping with injuries or the loss of a loved one following an accident in a Michigan roadway work zone, call the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Michigan Injury Lawyers We are familiar with Michigan law on roadway accidents in work zones and may help you recover damages that you rightfully deserve.
Call our firm at 313-438-4357 or contact us online for a free evaluation of your claim. If there is no recovery in your case, there is no fee for our services.
Based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Injury Lawyers represents car accident victims across Michigan, including Macomb County, Oakland County, Warren, Clinton Township, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Mount Clemens, Utica, Roseville, Troy, Farmington Hills, Waterford, Southfield, Pontiac, Birmingham, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills.
More About Work Zone Accidents
Negligent, impatient drivers cause deaths and injuries at road construction sites every year. In 2009, there were 667 work zone fatalities in the U.S. (11 in Michigan). It is estimated that over 40,000 injuries occur each year because of work zone accidents.
Most work zone accidents occur at the beginning of work zones, where traffic patterns are first disrupted. Lane closures, sudden lane shifts, and reduced speeds all significantly increase the risk of rear end and side collisions in work zones.
Michigan penalizes drivers who don't obey the speed limit and other safety precautions. The state imposes double fines for speeding, increased points on Michigan drivers' licenses, increased auto insurance rates, and even jail and fines for either injuring or killing construction workers.
Safe Driving in Roadway Work Zones
Some common sense safety precautions can help you and your loved ones avoid many of the risks of injuries in roadway work zone accidents.
- Obey posted speed limits. Michigan law imposes a 45 mph speed limit in any freeway work zone where workers are present, unless a concrete barrier is between construction workers and moving vehicles. Traffic in work zones is often stop-and-go, or some vehicles are traveling much slower than other vehicles, so slowing down is important for vehicle safety.
- Follow temporary construction signs, traffic directions, or caution signals. Accidents result when impatient, distracted drivers disregard posted construction signs. Drivers need to heed posted warnings of upcoming road conditions or redirected traffic.
- Always be on the alert for construction workers and construction machinery. Construction vehicles and machines are large and slow moving, and they can't easily stop or maneuver. It's important to give these vehicles extra room. Workers are usually positioned on the edge or shoulder of roads close to moving vehicles.
- Merge at appropriate speeds. When a driver waits to merge until the last moment, or at a high rate of speed, side impact collisions or deadly rear end collisions can result.
- Don't drive distracted. It's important to keep a constant lookout while driving in work zone. Sudden traffic stops or lane changes need your undivided attention.
Victim of a Michigan Work Zone Accident? Our Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys Can Help
The motor vehicle injury attorneys at Michigan Injury Lawyers in Michigan know how devastating a serious accident in roadway work zone can be for victims and their loved ones. The costs of medical bills and long-term care can be astronomical, and those who lose a spouse, child or other family member may also inherit significant financial burdens that stem from those losses.
A Michigan car accident lawyer at Michigan Injury Lawyers can help you obtain compensation as you begin to rebuild your life. Call our Michigan accident lawyers at (888) 454-0801 or contact us online for a free evaluation of your claim. If we don't win, you won't pay for our assistance.