Majority of surveyed contractors experienced crashes on highway jobsites

Road builders believe a greater police presence and stricter work zone speeding enforcement are key to decreasing collisions.

Dive Brief:

• Nearly two-thirds of contractors have experienced a car crash on a highway work zone within the last year, according to a survey of highway contractors by the Associated General Contractors of America and construction software firm HCSS.
• Just 36% of respondents reported no collisions in their work zones, while 33% said they had dealt with five or more. In those instances, it is more often the drivers who are injured or killed than construction workers, according to the survey.
• Respondents also said they want state officials to act, with the majority saying the states in which they work have insufficient penalties to deter motorists from driving recklessly through work zones.

Dive Insight:

Those surveyed overwhelmingly indicated they believe the keys to decreasing highway work zone crashes include:

• Greater police presence at work zone construction sites (82%).
• Stricter enforcement for moving violations (72%).
• Stricter laws around cell phone usage when driving (66%).

In addition, 60% said they believe automated ticketing for speeding in work zones could help curb collisions.

“Automated enforcement laws would go a long way in improving work zone safety, especially if the work zone is on the driver’s daily route,” said Steve McGough, president and CEO of HCSS. “It compels drivers to decrease their speed and pay closer attention to their surroundings.”

During a press call about the report, McGough said that with the historic amount of public funding available from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, more states have looked into using federal money to implement automated protection. But changing the rules isn’t easy, experts said, and it can take time.

In addition to the survey, the AGC released two videos urging drivers to be more careful in work zones.