Motor vehicle accidents in construction zones rising in Missouri

There are many dangers on the road in Missouri, but one that is growing at a troubling pace is road construction. Since road projects must be done to maintain, repair and build, they are often unavoidable. While most people adhere to the signs telling them to slow down, there are always drivers who ignore these signs. This puts other drivers and those working on the project at risk.

When there is an accident in a road construction zone, it can lead to injuries and death. One work zone on Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 65 has been the site of three crashes since the work started. The number of accidents has brought to light the inherent danger of these projects. The Missouri Department of Transportation says that there were 13 fatalities in work zones in 2017 alone on state systems. Local routes had three fatalities.

Overall statistics for recent years are just as troubling. From 2012 to 2017, nearly 2,900 people were hurt in work zone accidents on state routes. Local system routes had 965. Although signs telling drivers to exercise caution are prevalent in these areas, there are still a significant number of accidents. The state DOT says that the following five issues are most problematic: distracted driving, tailgating, speeding, driving under the influence, and making dangerous lane changes.