Construction Vehicle Accidents in Dallas

Accidents involving construction vehicles (and construction equipment) are all too common in Dallas-Fort Worth.

It’s common for these type of car accidents to happen near roadways where road construction and construction projects are in progress. The causes of these accidents vary but are often the result of signs that are either inaccurate or missing, distractions that result because of the existence of the construction, as well as the commercial vehicle drivers themselves.
 
 
The dangerous circumstances caused by construction can result in serious and sometimes fatal collisions.
 

Statistics of work zone accidents.

 
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are many different hazards that may manifest themselves near road construction zones. These hazards not only affect the workers on the site but also the drivers who may be present in the area. The findings of the agency include the following alarming statistics:
 

• During high seasons, approximately twenty percent of all the nation’s highways are undergoing construction.
• During the course of a year approximately twelve billion vehicles will drive through active construction work areas.
• Active work zones occur approximately every one hundred miles throughout the national highway system.
• Every day there are three fatalities in work zones.
• Over 40,000 suffer injuries every year in work zone vehicle accidents.

 
Under OSHA regulations, there must be a traffic control plan to manage the movement of vehicles at worksites in order to ensure drivers, workers, and pedestrians are able to see and understand the routes they need to use. The jurisdictional government authority will assess and control the temporary traffic zone for pedestrians and drivers while the construction company’s project manager will define guidelines for internal traffic routes on the construction site itself. The main methods of communicating the information are signs, traffic barriers, and flags.
 

Protecting yourself physically and financially.

 
Even though working in construction is a dangerous job, these professionals are still obligated to take responsibility when an employee contributes to the injuries of a motorist. Supervisors, managers, and company owners have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their employees as well as those who might be present in the work zone.
 
All supervisors and general contractors have an obligation to provide appropriate safety guidelines that make each construction site as safe as possible. They need to do the following to ensure this happens:
 

• Notify employees of any possible hazards that are present at the work site.
• Coordinate job safety.
• Make sure to hire employees that are willing to follow all safety regulations and exercise extreme caution during the course of the work day.
• Ensure that employees follow all safety rules and regulations.

 
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a construction vehicle (such as a dump truck or crane truck) in the Dallas area, our firm can help make sure you are fairly compensated for your injuries. If you want to contact one of our experienced personal injury lawyers, call our office at (214) 651-6100 for a FREE consultation!