Following a traffic collision that occurred in a construction zone at the end of May, the RCMP is advising residents to stay aware of the risks associated with road construction throughout the warm season.
RCMP Media Relations officer Corporal Mathew Howell says the first step commuters should take is a simple one- planning ahead. By planning ahead by 15 to 20 minutes, Howell says drivers simply will not feel the need to rush to their destination, leading to safer roads for everyone.
For those who find themselves in a jam on their way to work when they face an unexpected construction delay, Howell says arriving late is better than not arriving at all.
“We say it a lot but slow down, those few extra minutes it might take you to go through a construction zone or to take a detour, yes you might be late, but at least you’re arriving,” he says. “One way or the other, there are more chances that by speeding in these areas, you could cause a collision that could make you late that could unfortunately maybe even send you or someone else to the hospital, all for trying to save a few minutes.”
When it comes to the safety of construction workers on the road, Howell says respecting signage is key to protecting the lives of workers in dangerous situations. Signage and advisories are required for construction projects in and around the city, and drivers are urged to remain cautious, especially when workers are present.
“Often they’re not in a vehicle, they don’t have any other protection apart from a set of cones or a barrier which will not provide them enough protection when it comes to a collision happening,” Howell says. “Everyone needs to get together and protect those on the road, everyone’s responsible for their own driving.”
Howell spoke on the incident that occurred at the end of last month, saying lessons can be learned by every driver as construction season continues throughout the region.
“We had an incident weeks ago where unfortunately someone was driving at a high rate of speed trying to avoid traffic and ended up in the lane under construction and hit a roller,” he says. “Essentially, the roller was fine, the truck not so much, and the reality of the situation is there’s a lot of construction equipment in these zones so if you’re going fast and trying to avoid an obstacle, you might hit something that could end your life, your passenger’s life, or cause damage to yourself and other people.”
Ultimately, Howell says collisions, even minor ones, will result in either late arrival, hospitalization, or in the worst-case scenario, the end of a life, and remaining cautious in construction zones could make the difference.
