They’re all around us. The road construction season is in full bloom here in McHenry County and beyond. And road construction requires adjustments to our driving styles.

In McHenry County, many of the road construction projects are in towns and cities. Some of the construction projects are on country roads, too. Some of the projects are municipal road resurfacing projects. More are Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) projects. But, whoever is running the project, or wherever the work is done, one thing is true.

You need to slow down in those construction zones

Illinois is one of the states with the highest number of road construction workers killed by drivers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The overwhelming majority are killed by drivers in automobiles.

Inevitably, fatal injuries to workers at road construction sites, when workers are hit by passing vehicles, are the result of driver error. The driver has done something wrong to cause the accident. But those hurt in the accidents aren’t always the construction workers.

Drivers are injured or killed in road construction zones, too. Drivers can become confused by changes in traffic patterns or narrowing lanes. To stay safe in a construction zone, and ensure the safety of road workers, drivers need to be attentive – more attentive than usual. 

Not only do drivers have to adjust to road changes caused by road construction but they also have to be alert for other drivers who aren’t doing such a good job with that. 

Slowing down is a great place to start and is almost universally the law in road construction zones. Slowing down gives drivers more time to react to changing road conditions. 

In Illinois, drivers can only use a cell phone while driving if it is hands free. The penalty for doing otherwise in a road construction zone is substantially steeper. 

Mixing driving with drugs or alcohol is not wise, either. Add a road construction zone to the mix and the danger is heightened all around.

The penalties are higher in road construction zones

In Illinois, drivers are required to obey construction speed zones whether road workers are present or not. The minimum fine, for the first offense, is $375. That goes up to $1,000 for the second offense.

Get caught speeding in a road construction zone in Illinois twice in one year and you’ll lose your license for 90 days.

The summer is a great time to get out on the road and go somewhere, whether you stay in McHenry County or not. But there’s more road construction in the summer than at any other time of year. It’s worth it to slow down and pay attention.