Developing countries in Africa are characterized by their heavy investment in Infrastructure.For this reason, it becomes nearly impossible to drive around major towns in Africa without seeing a construction site and busy workers going about their business.
The workers’ safety as well as that of the passersby and motorists comes into perspective to minimize injuries or even fatalities in the worst case scenario arising from construction sites.
Take note of the road and its surrounding
Watch out keenly for road signs indicating lane changes, merges, road hazards, construction workers on site, and any other sign indicating disruption of the traffic flow. To be safe, you have to pay full attention to other motorists behavior as well as any distraction, may lead to terrible situation.
Observe the written Speed Limit
Construction sites are not just the place to drive very fast as this has the effect of lowering your reaction time and may lead to collision with equipment on site, workers or even other motorists. Driving rather too slowly may lead to unprecedented traffic snarl-ups.
Leave enough space between you and the car in front of you
In case of an abrupt stop, you should be in a position of collecting yourself and reacting swiftly to avoid a rear-end collision with the vehicle in front of you. Maximum caution should also be observed when monitoring their braking patterns.
Change lanes safely and appropriately
A lot of rear-end collisions and side swipes in construction work zones are caused by drivers who do not merge properly into traffic or cut over too quickly, which forces other drivers to slam on their breaks.
It is therefore upon the driver to make informed judgment on the road to ensure his/her safety as well as that of other road users.
Prepare for Delays
Delays have to be expected when driving through construction sites. As such, it is important to give yourself extra time to accommodate the delay instead of rushing to reach your destination while running the risk of a fatal crash that could be avoided.
Obey Construction Traffic Marshals
It is important to obey the people charged with the responsibility of controlling traffic in construction sites as they may be the only people standing between your safety and the lack of it. Heavy machinery turning can easily lead to fatal crashes when drivers do not quickly adjust their speeds or heed the marshals’ instructions.
