When we drive our cars or trucks, we know that an accident can happen anytime and anywhere. So we’re cautious, staying focused on the task at hand and paying attention to the traffic around us. But no matter what you do, you can fall victim to the mistakes of others, especially around work zones.
Too many distractions
According to data from the National Safety Council, in 2019 alone, 842 people were killed in crashes which took place in work zones. Minnesota accounted for 22 of those deaths. Nearly 40,000 more suffered injuries. And while drivers made up the majority of work zone deaths, they weren’t alone. 144 victims were passengers and almost the same amount was either a pedestrian or a bicyclist.
Work zones represent a combination of potentially dangerous issues. The work itself can be distracting, with vehicles and workers in unusual places diverting a driver’s attention. They are often accompanied by loud noise, making it more difficult to hear what’s going on around your vehicle. And work zones may require traffic to reroute, requiring drivers to negotiate routes with which they are unfamiliar.
Every driver on the road owes everyone else a duty to drive reasonably, without endangering those around them. When they fail in that duty, such as talking on a phone while driving through a busy work zone, they can cause an accident and injure you in the process. This is what it means to be legally negligent. When it happens, a personal injury lawsuit is a powerful tool available to you, so that you can recover the necessary compensation for your injuries and hold them accountable for their actions.
