ARE DISTRACTED DRIVERS CREATING A HAZARDOUS WORK PLACE FOR FLAGGERS?

ARE DISTRACTED DRIVERS
CREATING A HAZARDOUS WORK PLACE FOR FLAGGERS?

Mr. Peter Vieveen, Chairman of North America Traffic Inc., recently provided the following opening remarks from the AGC 2017 safety study and ATSSA mid-year meeting in Williamsburg, VA:

“Distracted drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes in Virginia is an epidemic, and safety is the number one issue we are facing today… we had two flaggers struck by distracted drivers in two districts in crashes that occurred just days apart”.  (Mr. Stephen C. Brich, VA DOT Commissioner)

“No matter how many advanced warning signs you install, distracted drivers don’t see them, and they don’t slow down… and when they don’t see the signs, they don’t see the flaggers either.”  (Mr. David Rush, VDOT Work Zone Safety Program Manager)

“Nearly 9 out of 10 respondents believe motor vehicle crashes are a very serious or serious potential safety hazard and, nearly 3 out of 4 still feel motor vehicle crashes are a greater risk today than they were a decade ago.” (2017 Work Zone Safety Study conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America)

In addition, Mr. Vieveen stated, “the information presented at the ATSSA mid-year meeting and the AGC 2017 safety study should be taken seriously.  We have senior officials from the Virginia DOT and a leading association for the construction industry, AGC with over 26,000 membered companies and both are broadcasting to the rest of the industry that more research is needed, relating to the frequency of flagger deaths and injuries.  The frequency will help us determine if a flagger’s job is considered “hazardous” as defined by OSHA.”

Mr. Vieveen further added that flagger safety is a topic he is very passionate about and wants to do his part in the national strategy of working towards zero deaths.  He has written a report on the Increasing Dangers Facing Flaggers Today, which covers the following topics:

• Virginia DOT Commissioners’ opening remarks at the ATSSA mid-year meeting;
• VDOT Work Zone Safety Program Manager - Safety issues related to distracted drivers;
• Alarming statistics on work zone crashes (VDOT);
• A 2017 work zone safety study by the Associated General Contractors (AGC);
• The reasons why a Flaggers’ place of employment may be considered hazardous;
• MUTCD Guidance sections that “don’t apply to work zones with Flaggers and illegal drivers”;
• How Canada is making Flagger fatalities a thing of the past;
• A speed limit that can make the difference between serious injury and death; and
• A link to NCHRP Synthesis 525: Practices in One-Lane Traffic Control on a Two-Lane Rural Highway.

You can read Mr. Vieveen’s report in full by clicking here:  https://northamericatraffic.com/blog-post/report-increasing-dangers-facing-flaggers-today/