1.  Follow Work Zone Speed Limits

Speeding was a contributing factor in 32 percent of fatal crashes in work zones in 2022 and 25% of work zone deaths involve a large truck. The higher the speed, the more severe a crash will be. Excessive speed in these areas not only heightens the risk of collisions with construction workers and equipment, but also reduces a driver’s ability to react effectively to unexpected obstacles or hazards.

Rear-end collisions commonly occur in work zones with speeding commercial motor vehicles. These accidents occur when a truck driver fails to slow down from the normal speed limits to the construction zone speed limit. These accidents commonly occur when traffic is stopped up ahead and the semi fails to react quickly enough and rear-ends another vehicle.

To ensure that you are driving at the proper speed in a work zone follow these three steps:

1. Slow down when approaching a work zone.
2. Follow the posted construction zone speed limit.
3. Do not resume normal highway speed until you see signs stating the work zone has ended.

2.  Stay in Your Lane

Lanes are much narrower in construction zones than regular highway lanes. This is difficult for semis because:

1. Commercial motor vehicles are much wider than regular automobiles.
2. Semis have a blind spot which obscures a driver’s view for up to 3 lanes away on their right side.

Right-angle collisions are common in work zones when semi-truck drivers pull out of, or turn left into intersections and work spaces without a large enough gap in traffic. Make sure to stay centered in the lane to reduce the risk of hitting another vehicle from the side. To safely pass through a construction zone, semi drivers should obey all posted signage, especially signage that directs trucks to use a certain lane. It is important that commercial motor vehicle drivers are well versed in the meanings of common and uncommon road work signs.

Merge Quickly and Safely

When possible, move into the open lane as soon as possible. Do not wait to obey signage that directs drivers to merge. Waiting until the last minute to move into the open lane can cause drivers to feel rushed, which can cause drivers to not thoroughly check their mirrors and their blind spots, leading to a crash if another vehicle enters a fast-moving and lane changing semi’s path. Sideswipe collisions occur frequently in work zones when the driver does not check for vehicles in their blind spot when merging.

3.  Maintain an Appropriate Following Distance

Semi-trucks have a much longer stopping distance than other automobiles. In an average interstate highway work zone with a speed limit of 55 mph, the stopping distance required for a semi-truck is 49% longer than the stopping distance required for an average weight, 4,000lb passenger vehicle. In ideal road conditions, a fully loaded 80,000 lb. loaded, tractor-trailer’s stopping distance in a 55-mph work zone is approximately 335 feet while the passenger vehicle would only require approximately 225 feet to come to a stop from 55 mph.

Semi-Truck Stopping Distances

Be Prepared for Traffic to Slow in Work Zones

Semi-trucks need to pay full attention to the road in construction areas as cars get easily backed up in work zones. If a semi-truck is not following behind the car at an appropriate distance, they will ram into the back of the car if the car suddenly stops. Fault is almost always assigned to the driver that rear-ends the driver in front of them.

FMCSA Following Distance Requirements

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency responsible for regulating the trucking industry, recommends that for speeds under 40mph, truck drivers should leave at least one second for every 10 feet of vehicle length, and for speeds over 40mph truck drivers should leave at least one additional second.

4.  Preview Alternate Routes to Avoid the Construction Zone

Truck drivers tend to be on tight schedules. Semi-truck drivers are not paid per hour, but instead per mile they travel. This causes semi drivers to be stressed out and impatient to get to the end of their route. Unfortunately, this can cause drivers to make risky decisions to get to their destination quicker. Try to plan ahead to avoid the construction zone altogether. Before beginning to drive, preview your route on your GPS to see if there are any alternate routes to a construction zone.

Be Patient, Expect Delays in Work Zones

However, if you do have to pass through a work zone, expect delays. Drive cautiously and carefully, especially when there are flaggers in the work zone. Be ready to stop when you see a flagger ahead sign. 50% of fatal pedestrian crashes in work zones involve large trucks.

Don’t Drive Aggressively in a Construction Zone

Truck drivers who get stressed out in a construction zone are more likely to drive aggressively by tailgating, not using a turn signal, or making other unsafe maneuvers on the road which increase the likelihood of a wreck occurring. Other drivers may also get aggressive in work zones due to traffic delays. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 56% of fatal crashes are associated with aggressive driving behaviors and road rage. It is important to remain calm and not get flustered if another driver attempts to race ahead of your vehicle.

5.  Don’t Get Distracted

One of the most common causes of construction zone wrecks with semi-trucks results from distracted driving. 30% of fatal work zone crashes involving large trucks occur when the driver is distracted. Some distractions that truck drivers may feel tempted to reach to include the following:

• Cell Phones
  • Semis are on the road for a long time, they can easily get bored or tired. Some drivers turn to cell phones to stay entertained and awake. Although truck drivers may feel confident in their ability to multitask on the road, studies show that only 2% of people can effectively multitask. Instead, when drivers think they are multitasking, they are really drifting their attention from the road and onto their phones. Text messaging while driving increases the risk of a crash or near-crash by 23 times. The FMCSA does not allow truck drivers to use a handheld device while operating a commercial motor vehicle.
• Hands-free devices
  • Semi-truck drivers are banned from using handheld cell phones while driving, but they are permitted to use hands-free devices while driving. While many think that hands-free devices are safe to use on the road, hands-free devices are no safer than texting and driving. If it is determined that a semi-driver was using a hands-free device and caused a construction zone accident, the driver could be held liable, even though hands-free devices are legal for semi-trucks to use. Instead, truck drivers shouldn’t use any electronic devices while driving and pay full attention to the road.
• Eating and drinking
  • Truck drivers may feel pressured to eat on the road to save time. However, eating and drinking on the road is just as dangerous as other distractions because it keeps your hands off the wheel and your mind pre-occupied. Do not allow employers to pressure you into taking a meal on the road. The FMCSA requires that commercial motor vehicle drivers take at least a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving.
• GPS
  • Truckers may feel tempted to reach for their truck’s GPS to look for alternate routes when they see there is a construction zone up ahead. Instead, truckers should plan their routes ahead of time and never pick up their GPS or attempt to change their current route while operating a commercial motor vehicle. Semi-truck drivers who follow a mounted GPS with a set route without typing on the device may still be distracted due to glancing at the GPS device and taking their eyes off the road for short periods, but typing on the GPS to change a driver’s route while driving is much riskier as it takes a driver’s hands off the wheel, their eyes off the road and onto the GPS, and their mind becomes distracted by trying to plan out a route. A semi-truck driver who is distracted by typing on a GPS device when entering a construction zone can easily blow through any updated lane markings, traffic cones, and other vehicles. If you need to reroute your GPS, find a safe place to pull over and then reprogram the device.

6.  Don’t Drive Drowsy

Semi-truck drivers are at an increased danger of falling asleep on the road. Although the FMCSA has adopted regulations, meant to stop drowsy truck drivers from getting on the road. The FMCSA regulations state that truck drivers should have a daily driving limit of 14 hours. 13% of fatal semi-truck accidents involve a fatigued truck driver. Truck drivers should get at least 7 hours of sleep per night to be well rested to drive the next day. However, many drivers are not properly rested when they get on the road.  Drivers who spend long hours on the road can easily fall victim to highway hypnosis, which makes it difficult for drivers to stay awake on long stretches of road with similar surroundings. If a driver finds themselves unable to stay awake or keep their eyes open, they should find a safe place to pull over.

Semi-Truck Drivers Should Be Tested for Sleep Disorders

Craig, Kelley, & Faultless was hired by a family member to represent a driver who unfortunately, was killed along with 5 others when a semi-truck barreled into the rear-end of my client’s vehicle that was stopped due to traffic in a work zone on I-65 NB in Bowling Green. After investigation at the scene of the wreck by an expert accident reconstructionist, it was determined that the semi driver did not attempt to stop or swerve before the wreck. Since the driver’s blood test came back negative for any substances that could cause impairment, we suspected that the driver might have fallen asleep at the wheel.

On Episode #16 of my podcast, After the Crash, I interviewed Melinda Pennycuff, who lost her uncle in that crash. In this episode we discussed the process we went through to find out what caused this crash. We fought with the trucking company to get the driver examined. Finally, we were able to have a doctor examine the driver who concluded that it was likely that the driver had untreated sleep apnea. We also concluded that the driver had lied to us previously and that the driver wasn’t sleeping enough in the days before the wreck causing him to be sleep deprived when he got in the semi-truck on the date of the wreck.

Drivers with sleep apnea are 6 times as likely to get in a crash than those without sleep apnea. Diagnosed sleep apnea is not a disqualifying condition for CDL holders, if the truck driver is being treated for the disorder. Because this driver was not treated for suspected sleep apnea, 6 people lost their lives. Drivers who find themselves repeatedly falling asleep on the road should not drive again until they can be tested for sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy.

Construction Wreck Attorney Discusses Fatal Work Zone Crash Caused by Drowsy Driver

 

7.  Don’t Drive Impaired

The BAC limit for automobiles on the road is generally .08 in most states, whereas the FMCSA limits a truck driver’s BAC to a maximum of .04. For an average weight male of 200 lbs., a .04 BAC is equivalent to a maximum of 2 drinks. The FMCSA also does not allow a commercial driver to have consumed alcohol within at least 4 hours of the time they begin driving. Commercial motor vehicle drivers are also subject to random drug and alcohol testing by the FMCSA. In a National Security Council survey, 14.5% of those surveyed admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at least once in the last 12 months.

Do Not Drive After Taking Stimulants

This also means that truck drivers are forbidden from consuming other drugs while driving like stimulants. Because of the uncommon hours and long driving that truckers endure on the road; many semi-truck drivers turn to stimulants to stay awake while driving. Stimulants can cause side effects like impulsive behavior on the road, which can cause accidents and aggressive driving.

Prescription and OTC Medications Can Cause a Driver to Be Impaired

Drivers should not drive on any over-the-counter medicines or prescriptions that say on the label that it could make the truck driver drowsy, or if the medication states on the label that they should avoid operating heavy machinery while taking the medication. Some medicines, that could cause impairment include:

• Antipsychotic medications
• Antiseizure medications
• ADHD medications
• Muscle relaxants
• Sleeping Pills
• Anxiety medications like benzodiazepines
• Allergy medicines with antihistamines
• Motion Sickness medicines
• Opioids

Avoid any medications that could cause impairment on the roads. Speak to your doctor about the side effects of any medications you take. It may be possible for the doctor to prescribe an alternative medicine that will not result in drowsiness.

8.  Use Caution in Adverse Weather

Semi-trucks require more time to stop when the road is slick, which is why the FMCSA requires that truck drivers must sufficiently slow down in the rain or snow. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates that semi drivers must pull over as soon as possible if a road or bridge is too icy to properly control the vehicle. Too often, however, the semi driver is impatient and does not want to slow down or take a break from driving. However, the FMCSA allows for drivers to expand their driving window by 2 hours on days with adverse weather, which means drivers will not have to delay a drop-off until the next day, due to the driver appropriately reducing speed during adverse weather events.  When a semi driver is going too fast for conditions, this can cause the semi to rollover. Rollover accidents are very dangerous and can cause multiple fatalities and serious bodily injuries.

Increase Following Distances in Adverse Weather

The FMCSA recommends that commercial motor vehicle drivers should double their following distance in adverse weather conditions. The FMCSA also requires that large truck and bus drivers reduce their speed by 1/3 on wet roads, and by more than ½ on roads covered with snow.

Do Semi Drivers Have to Follow Different Rules in Bad Weather Conditions?

9.  Perform a Pre-Trip Inspection

Research shows that inadequate maintenance is linked with an increased crash risk for commercial motor vehicles, especially in construction zones. Before you get in the vehicle, make sure to perform a pre-trip inspection:

• Check that the brakes are working properly.
• Check that your tires are fully aired up.
• Check that all cargo is secure.
• Check that headlights, taillights, fog lights, and turn signals are functioning.
• Check oil, engine, windshield washer, and automatic transmission fluid levels.

If your trucking company is trying to make you drive a vehicle that you know is not safe to be on the road, they should be reported to the FMCSA. Do not get in an unsafe vehicle. If a semi-truck’s brakes fail in a construction zone with backed up traffic, the ensuing wreck could result in multiple fatalities.

Semi-Truck Load Securement

Were You or a Loved One Injured in a Work Zone Wreck Involving a Commercial Motor Vehicle?

Our dedicated and experienced construction zone truck accident attorneys at Craig, Kelley, & Faultless will help investigate your crash and find out who should be held responsible. Using reconstructionists, private investigators, cell phone data experts and other knowledgeable experts we will gather information and if necessary, file suit to recover just compensation for victims of work zone truck wrecks.

We pursue claims for injured parties of construction zone truck accidents on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t get paid after we win your case. Contact Craig, Kelley, & Faultless LLC by phone at (800)-746-0226 or online for a free consultation about your accident.

About the Author

David W. Craig sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner, as well as one of the founding partners of the law firm of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is also recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help victims and their families as they navigate through a terrible situation and answers the host of questions that come after a tragic wreck. He is also the host of the podcast, After the Crash where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow Indiana law safety protocol on roads regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.