Driving on California’s interstates is always an adventure. Add the confusing rules that come along with California’s construction zones, though, and venturing out onto the road can seem particularly stressful. Fortunately, construction crews throughout California are encouraged to engage in behaviors designed to keep them safe from oncoming traffic.
That said, you, too, can take steps to limit the likelihood of a construction accident while you’re on the road. If you still find yourself in an accident, a California personal injury attorney can cite your defensive driving as cause for you to receive compensation for your losses.
Taking Precautions Around California Construction Zones
When you enter California’s construction zones, it is important for you to:
Stay Alert and Aware
It’s easier than ever to get distracted behind the wheel these days. Even though California has legislation criminalizing the use of cellphones and other electronics behind the wheel, it can still be tempting to check a message or two. Even harmless behaviors like chatting or singing along with the radio can also lead to dangerous distractions.
That’s why it’s important, when you enter a California construction zone, to take particular care behind the wheel. If possible, remove distractions from your immediate vicinity and make a deliberate note of the team that you’re passing by.
Similarly, try to avoid taking to the road when you’re too tired to focus. If you find yourself drifting off behind the wheel, pull over to the side of the road. Alternatively, have another person drive. When you take these precautions, you take the necessary steps to prevent dangerous accidents.
Obey Construction Signs
California construction crews are required to indicate where their work zones are. These indicators can include several signs, traffic cones, and even their own employees. If you want to safely maneuver around California’s contractors, you need to keep an eye out for these signs and do as they say.
If you’re accused of violating a construction crew’s signage, you may still have the opportunity to pursue a civil case for accident losses in court. However, the party you believe to be liable for your losses could argue that you contributed to your own accident.
According to California’s understanding of comparative negligence, you might still take home compensation. However, that compensation would be reduced by the percentage of fault you bore in your accident. The more careful you are behind the wheel, the better chance you may have of fighting for comprehensive compensation.
Try to Avoid Heavy Traffic Hours
Driving in California is always a tricky endeavor. If construction isn’t holding you up, pre-and post-work traffic may be. Combine the two, and it’s easy to find yourself getting frustrated behind the wheel.
While it’s not always possible to avoid California’s most popular driving times, being aware of them can help you be more careful on the road. If you’re driving at a time when most other folks are, too, you’ll know that you need to be particularly careful. This is particularly the case when driving through California’s construction zones.
When you take care in these zones, you may have a better chance of avoiding a construction accident. Should you get into an accident anyway, you can cite your careful driving as a reason to hold the construction crew or an affiliate accountable for your losses.
California Construction Accident Attorneys May Be Able to Help
Construction crews are expected to uphold certain standards of care when working on the road. So long as you behave diligently behind the wheel, California’s comparative negligence laws may allow you to pursue compensation for losses endured in a construction accident.
If you think you may have a civil construction accident case on your hands, let the team with Setareh Law know. You can contact us by calling (310) 659-1826 or reaching out online to schedule your case consultation. We also speak Spanish.