Texas Construction Zone Rules of the Road

The Texas Department of Transportation reported 244 deaths and 856 injuries in construction zones in 2021 alone. These work zones can be incredibly dangerous, presenting risks to employees and passersby alike. In San Antonio, hundreds of drivers and pedestrians have been injured by negligent drivers working in local construction zones. These victims are owed fair compensation by the construction worker or their employer– in some cases, both.

In order to understand liability and fault in a San Antonio road construction accident, it is important to understand state laws governing these areas. The following guide by the personal injury attorneys of Carabin Show outlines laws that pertain to San Antonio construction sites.

If you are a construction company/worker operating in the state of Texas, you must abide by the following:

• Display clear signage. There should be clear signs indicating the perimeter of an active work site as well as signs dictating reduced speed limits or detours.
• When operating vehicles, stay alert and follow all local traffic laws. During the course of their employment, construction workers may operate a number of large vehicles and heavy machinery. Any negligence (such as drunk, drowsy, or distracted driving) can result in deadly accidents.
• Only allow drivers with adequate training to operate vehicles or machinery. It is the construction company’s responsibility to ensure only adequately trained employees operate these potentially dangerous machines.

If you are injured in a construction zone because the construction company/employee failed to do any of the above, you may be eligible to file an injury lawsuit to seek compensation for your injuries.

If you are a driver in San Antonio passing through a construction site, you must:

• Abide by the reduced speed limit. Construction companies will often place temporary reduced speed limit signs around the area of construction. While these signs are up, they take precedence over previous speed limits.
• Move over and slow down. If you are passing a construction zone or parked construction vehicles, you must change lanes and reduce your speed while passing.
• Avoid any behaviors that would lead to distracted driving (for example, cell phone usage). While this is, of course, important to do any time you operate a vehicle, it is even more crucial that you are alert while driving in proximity to construction work sites.
• Observe detour signs. Construction may render lanes or whole roads impassable; in this case, the construction company will work with the local government to clearly mark out detours. If you ignore the detour sign and try to drive through a construction zone, you could face high fines.

If you fail to obey any of these San Antonio construction zone laws, you may not be able to sue for compensation if an accident occurs. It is important that you slow down, stay alert, and pay attention to all signage when in proximity to construction work zones.

If you were injured by a construction vehicle in a San Antonio work zone, you have the right to seek fair compensation for your physical, financial, and emotional losses. With the help of our experienced injury lawyers, you can rest assured that your rights are protected in settlement negotiations. Carabin Shaw’s client reviews attest to our attorney’s passion, expertise, and skill in negotiating fair settlements for San Antonio accident victims.

If you are searching for quality representation for your personal injury claim, the team of personal injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw would be proud to help you seek the justice you deserve. To help you schedule your no-cost, no-obligation case review with a Carabin Shaw San Antonio Tx car accident injury attorney, our English and Spanish-speaking staff are available 24/7 at 800-862-1260.