Road construction projects pose special hazard for motorcycle riders

The economic stimulus package included a great deal of money for road construction projects, and as that money gets allocated and contracts awarded, we can expect to see a greater than usual number of road construction projects next riding season. 

Many road construction projects have strict completion deadlines and financial penalties or incentives for timely completion.  However, the pressure to get done on time sometimes leaves safety on the back burner, as a recent article in the Dallas Morning News pointed out.

The article described two wrongful death motorcycle accidents that happened in highway construction zones.  One involved a pavement drop-off -- a height differential between two sections of pavement -- which caused a rider to lose control of his bike.  An inspector had warned both the contractor and his superiors that the drop-off was a hazard, but they elected to leave it uncorrected.  The other motorcycle accident involved a rider who hit a backhoe which was parked right next to the lane of traffic instead of 50 away as called for in the construction project requirements.  In both instances, investigating officers placed blame for the motorcycle crashes on the deceased motorcycle riders.

Road construction projects pose special hazards for motorcycle riders who can come upon unexpected changes in road way configurations, pavement hazards, or other dangerous conditions very quickly.  Any rider injured as a result of a motorcycle accident in a roadway construction project should give consideration to hiring an experienced Illinois motorcycle accident lawyer to investigate the causes of the accident instead of simply accepting a police officer's assessment that the accident was the dead or injured rider's own fault.

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