This study addresses the adequacy of traffic safety in work zones. The specific issues discussed in this study are: the usefulness of work zone accident data; the hazards of two-way operations without positive separation of traffic on a normally divided highway; the use of truck-mounted attenuators in moving/maintenance operations and at long-term construction sites; the placement of flaggers; the need to identify design changes in work zones that will aid drivers with degraded sensory perceptions resulting from aging, inattentiveness, or impairment; the lack of compliance with existing guidelines for work zone traffic control devices and procedures; and the need for a national work zone safety program. Recommendations concerning these issues were made to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). (A)
Abstract