Columbus, Ohio Attorney Blog - Robert W. Kerpsack Co., L.P.A.

Construction zones can be more than just a nuisance during your daily drive in and around Columbus--they can be very dangerous. When normal traffic gets changed, people hurrying to work or home can find their everyday routes unfamiliar and strange. Suddenly, traffic that used to flow easily becomes slowed or backed up. Many lanes of traffic, including large trucks, are forced to merge, sometimes unexpectedly. Because of the dangers of merging with large trucks, nearly a quarter of all accident fatalities in work zones are related to large truck accidents.

But in Ohio, the Department of Transportation (ODOT) has designed an effective plan to reduce the number of dangerous traffic accidents. In order to reduce the number of accidents, ODOT has developed specific guidelines for all traffic work zones. These guidelines include:

• Sufficient merge zones
  
• Adequate shoulders (at least 2')
• Limits on traffic levels after lane closures
• Limits on length of car queues (never more than 1.5 miles, and never more than .75 miles for two hours or longer)

If a contractor violates these guidelines and it contributes to your auto accident, the contractor may be considered negligent.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction zone accident, the traffic accident lawyers at Robert W. Kerpsack, Co., L.P.A. can help you. Please contact us today for a free case evaluation.