Each day, road workers face an array of threats while carrying out their job responsibilities. For example, a road worker may be injured due to dangerous equipment or may even suffer because of repetitive strain or lifting heavy objects. However, many road workers who suffer injuries or lose their lives while working are struck by vehicles. For road workers and their families, recognizing the prevalence of these accidents is important. Additionally, work zones can be a dangerous place for drivers as well, since these zones often carry additional driving risks.
Over the course of 2014, work zone collisions caused 669 people to pass away, according to data presented by the Federal Highway Administration. In fact, when it comes to fatal car crashes across the entire U.S., these work zone collisions account for two percent of fatalities that take place on roads. In 2014, 119 road construction workers lost their lives while on the job. Between the workers who were killed and the drivers and occupants of vehicles who lost their lives, these zones present clear risks. Sadly, accidents may occur in work zones for various reasons. Sometimes, reckless drivers may speed through a work zone, while others may fail to recognize certain obstacles.
For those who lose loved ones in work zone accidents, recovery may seem impossible. Although the emotional pain may last throughout life, there are ways people can try to restore normalcy after a crash, such as looking into workers’ comp death benefits. Moreover, negligent drivers must be held answerable for the suffering that they have caused.
