Roadway Construction - a Real Hazard
Around Florida and across the country, people (drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists) are injured or even killed in motor vehicle crashes due to substandard highway design and engineering. Also, road construction can cause a crash. These causes typically are not immediately apparent and knowledgeable investigative experts must be called in.
Highway and roadway defects and design flaws can include:
- Lack of (or insufficient) notification (signage) of an impending condition, such as a "construction zone ahead" or "lanes merging"
- Inadequate traffic signals and lights
- Defective or poorly visible signs
- Landscaping
- Inadequate or insufficient notification of how a road is affected by certain weather conditions (e.g. freezing or drainage)
- Reduction of shoulder or excessive drop-off
- Hidden or unavoidable hazards such as dips, bumps, ridges, large cracks, etc.
- Lack of posted warnings for drivers about unusual conditions or substandard sections of the road
- Lack of or insufficient markings for highway division, line striping and edge lines
- Inadequate or defective barriers or guard rails
- Excessive gravel, oil, or tar left on the road after maintenance procedures
- Potholes or lack of maintenance
- Inadequate lighting, poorly lit streets
In addition to these defects, construction equipment, vehicles and signage can sometimes create a dangerous condition on the roadway.
