Typical work zone accidents

In Texas, there were 161 fatalities and thousands more injured in work zone-related accidents in 2003. Some of these involved the workers themselves, but the vast majority, up to 90%, involved motorists only. High-speed, rear impacts are typical, caused by speeding and inattentive drivers.

Texarkana, TX – June 24, 2005 A man had to be airlifted to hospital after the pickup he was driving slammed into the back of a pulp truck, which was stopped during construction. A police officer on the scene stated that all required signs were up, so it wasn’t known exactly what caused the accident. The construction zone reduced the highway to one lane, giving the driver nowhere to go. Another pickup truck towing a trailer was also struck during the accident, which occurred just after noon. There were no other reported injuries, though traffic was delayed for an hour and a half.

I-35 near New Braunfels, TX – July 21, 2005

A UPS truck struck the inner edge of the road in a construction zone and rolled over. The accident occurred shortly before 5 am, and no other vehicles were involved. The driver was uninjured, but the highway was closed for several hours while the truck was unloaded and removed. Hazmat teams also arrived at the scene to clean up diesel fuel that leaked from the rig.

Jackson, TN – July 26, 2000 A loaded semi-trailer, traveling eastbound at about 65 mph in a 55 mph construction zone hit a state trooper car from behind, which subsequently exploded and caught fire. The cruiser was trailing construction vehicles traveling along the highway. The semi then crossed the sunken meridian and entered the westbound lanes, colliding with a pickup truck before coming to rest on the opposite shoulder. The police officer was killed and the driver of the pickup was seriously injured.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the accident and found three safety issues that contributed to the accident:

About 40,000 people are injured in America’s work zones, and over 1,000 are killed every year. If you have been in a work zone accident, contact a personal injury lawyer at Jim S. Adler & Associates to find out what your rights. We’ll give you a free case consultation, and help you protect your rights should you choose to enter litigation. Jim S. Adler & Associates will ensure that you get full compensation for your injuries so you don’t have to worry about mounting medical bills. Call us directly, or click on the link for a free case review.

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