Cone Zone season has arrived. Slow down and pay attention.
Every day tens of thousands of workers in British Columbia are depending on drivers, like you, to keep control of your vehicle in a Cone Zone. If you are driving through a roadside work zone, you have a legal responsibility to drive safely. Failure to do so can result in penalties and fines. As a driver here’s what you can do to keep these roadside workers safe:
- Slow down before reaching a Cone Zone and obey the posted speed
- When entering a roadside work zone pay attention and avoid distractions. Leave your phone alone.
- Pay attention to temporary road signs, traffic cones and directions given by a traffic control person. It’s the law.
- Plan ahead. Listen to traffic reports before and during your drive – and where possible – adjust your route to avoid work zones.
- When driving near work vehicles with flashing amber, red and blue lights, always Slow Down and Move Over. If the posted speed limit is greater than 80 km/h, slow to 70km/h. If the posted speed is less than 80 km/h, slow to 40 km/h. In both situations, move over if it’s safe to do so.
The price to be paid for unsafe driving in a Cone Zone can be high. Tickets to drivers can range from $196 for disobeying a flag person to $368 for using an electronic device while driving. The economic and social costs resulting from loss of life or serious injury are even greater.
For more information about how to drive safely in roadside work zones, visit ConeZoneBC.com