Mississippi roadway construction is on the rise. The attorneys at Richard Schwartz and Associates of Mississippi are pushing for higher awareness in construction zones. Deaths in construction zone related car wrecks have also risen in the last few years, and we believe educating drivers is the best way to prevent these car wrecks from happening. Attentive drivers who obey temporary construction signs and slow down when traveling through construction zones have a lower risk of getting in a car accident.

However, many people do not pay attention to temporary construction signs. Usually orange cones and signs are established one mile or 1,000 feet from the actual zone in order to ensure the safety of the workers. Often, little attention is paid by drivers to the orange cones and designations set up by construction workers.

Mississippi state law states that people operating motor vehicles pay attention and slow their speeds when entering a zone where workers are present. The speeding fine is double what a normal speeding ticket would cost, and a $250 fine is also placed upon the speeder for endangerment of the construction workers. These laws make speeding in construction zones expensive in an effort to help deter people from racing through the zones.

There are many things people can do to avoid an accident within a construction zone and make the roadway a safer place. Being mindful of your surroundings, watching for construction workers directing traffic, drastically reducing your speed, and extending the distance between your vehicle and the ones ahead of you can make a huge difference for the workers and yourself.

The personal injury and car wreck lawyers at Richard Schwartz and Associates of Mississippi advocate safety while driving, especially in construction zones. Drivers need to stay alert and obey all signals in order to make the road a better place to drive, and a safer place for construction crews to work.