Attorney
Despite efforts across the country to increase awareness of work zone dangers, workers in these zones continue to face risks due to negligent driving. Last year, seven people died in Virginia work zones. Throughout the country, there were 720 deaths and 40,000 injuries in work zones. If negligent work zone driving injures you or a loved one, a Virginia personal injury lawyer can assist you in obtaining medical compensation.
This past month the Virginia Department of Transportation held a “No Phone Zone” campaign to reduce the dangers people face in work zones. Four out of five people killed in work zone crashes are actually drivers and not workers, so the Virginia Department of Transportation has been asking that all drivers put down their cell phones when they are traveling through a work zone. A recent study determined that the annual cost of crashes due to cell phones is about $43 billion.
Work zones are more dangerous than normal driving conditions. There are flashing lights, flaggers, heavy machinery, and cones all around. Drivers need to be careful not to tailgate in work zones because there is usually less time to react. They should also observe the lower, posted speed limits. Last Monday, a Virginia driver injured a flagger when the driver failed to stop for the work zone and slammed into the back of a stopped car, which then hit the 62-year-old worker. Prosecutors charged the driver who failed to stop with reckless driving.
Please contact a Northern Virginia personal injury attorney, such as Julie H. Heiden at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P., if negligent driving in a work zone has caused injuries to you or a loved one.