The sad truth about construction zones is that they are not safe for workers but they are not safe for others either. Each year, about 700 people die in car accidents in construction zones. More than 100 of them are construction. Keep reading to find out what the dangers are and what to do if you are involved in a car accident in a construction zone.
California is One of the Most Dangerous States for Construction Zone Accidents
Studies show that the three states with the most fatalities in construction zones each year are California, Texas, and Florida. It is true that these states have larger populations, which means their numbers understandably skew higher, remember that one of the most populous states in the country, New York, is not on this list. It is not all about population.
Workers in Road Construction Zones Account for Nearly 10% of Deaths on Construction Sites
Nearly 10% of all workers killed on a construction site die in road construction zones. Many of them died by being struck with a moving vehicle. This could be a passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle, or even a construction vehicle on the site. Regardless of the method, too many lives are lost due to construction zone accidents.
One Type of Car Accident is More Likely Than Others to Result in the Death of a Construction Worker
The most common way that a construction worker is killed in a car accident is when the worker is on foot and is struck by a vehicle. This is much more likely to result in death that an accident that occurs between a construction vehicle and a private vehicle. That said, both types of accidents are certainly dangerous. They make up about half of the construction worker injuries that happen in California and throughout the country.
Other ways that construction workers can be injured on a jobsite include:
- Vehicles jackknifing
- Vehicles overturning
- Accidents in parking lost
- Accidents on the side of construction zones
- Being struck by a heavy object
Construction sites are dangerous due to the fact that there is heavy equipment in use and many people do not know how to stay safe.
Should an Injured Worker Submit a Workers’ Compensation Claim or a Personal Injury Claim?
The answer varies from case to case. The advantage of a workers’ compensation claim is that the worker does not have to prove fault. If they are injured on a worksite, even if the accident was their fault, then workers’ compensation will generally cover them.
However, the damages a person can recover are limited with a workers’ compensation claim in ways they are not limited with a personal injury claim. For example, a personal injury claim allows for the recovery of damages for pain and suffering while a workers’ compensation claim does not.
