Work Zone Accident Lawyer in St. Louis, MO

If you’ve ever popped a tire driving over broken asphalt or just narrowly avoided a collision due to a malfunctioning traffic light, you know how important regular road maintenance is. Without it, defective road accidents would be even more common than they already are. Sometimes, though, road construction can be just as hazardous as the conditions it’s meant to solve.

When road construction zones are staged incorrectly, even the most cautious driver can suffer the consequences. If you have been injured because of a construction company’s negligence, The Cagle Law Firm’s work zone accident attorneys in St. Louis, MO, can help.

According to the Federal Highway Administration’s statistics from 2017, nearly 800 road work zone accident fatalities occur every year. Those who are fortunate enough to survive such accidents are often left with serious injuries, steep medical bills, lost income, and significant emotional trauma. You don’t have to deal with all of that alone. A construction accident lawyer from The Cagle Law Firm can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Common Causes of Work Zone Road Accidents

Poor Signage

An active road construction site can pose many dangers, such as unpaved patches, abrupt dips, narrow traffic paths, open pits, heavy machinery, and wandering crew members. That’s why adequate signage is essential for road safety. It’s hard to avoid unusual hazards when you have no reason to expect their presence.

When approaching a work zone, a motorist should see multiple signs early on warning of them upcoming road conditions and speed restrictions. If these signs are obstructed—or in the case of electronic signs, if they are not functioning correctly—it can not only fail to give drivers advance notice, it can also create problematic distractions.

No Cones/Barriers

Whenever a roadway is undergoing construction, it’s important to create a buffer space separating the normal flow of traffic from the ongoing work. When the space is too limited, or nonexistent, that can be confusing for drivers to navigate. It can also lead to vehicles, pedestrians, workers, and machinery staying into areas they shouldn’t be.

Creating the necessary buffer space requires the use of either traffic cones or barriers. If such elements are missing, too spread out, or misused, the risk of unwary drivers wandering too close to the construction site is considerable.

Bad Lighting

Many motorists don’t like driving at night, and for good reason. The lack of natural light makes it more difficult to follow directions, avoid hazardous road conditions, and keep track of pedestrians and other vehicles. The presence of ongoing construction only complicates matters further.

An active work site with poor lighting is perilous for both drivers and the workers themselves. More common are inactive work sites whose crew members have gone home for the day, without leaving adequate illumination to help motorists avoid rough patches and sudden drops.

Get a Work Zone Accident Attorney in St. Louis, MO

The road is a dangerous place even at the best of times, but when those who are entrusted with making it safer get careless, innocent people pay the price. The Cagle Law Firm’s personal injury lawyers don’t want you to shoulder the burden alone. We are ready, willing, and able to put our considerable knowledge and experience to work getting you the compensation to which you’re entitled.

If you’re looking for a work zone accident lawyer in St. Louis, MO, contact us today for a free consultation.