Highway contractors across North Carolina and South Carolina continue to report growing dangers in roadway work zones, according to new survey data released by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and HCSS.
"With rising dangers in roadway work zones, it’s more important than ever that drivers don’t speed and are not impaired, including using cell phones while behind the wheel," said Dave Simpson, President and CEO of Carolinas AGC.
The findings highlight increasing concerns among contractors throughout the Carolinas about distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and insufficient enforcement in active work zones as summer highway construction activity ramps up.
In South Carolina, 59 percent of contractors reported experiencing five or more crashes involving moving vehicles in highway work zones during the past year. In North Carolina, 36 percent of respondents reported experiencing five or more crashes, while another 20 percent reported one crash during the same period.
Contractors in both states also reported that work zone crashes continue to pose growing risks. Fifty-six percent of South Carolina respondents and 50 percent of North Carolina respondents said highway work zone crashes are a greater risk now than they were one year ago.
Distracted driving emerged as one of the leading concerns among contractors in both states. Ninety-five percent of South Carolina respondents and 93 percent of North Carolina respondents identified distracted drivers as a primary contributor to work zone crashes and intrusions. Contractors also pointed to phone usage, speeding, reckless driving, and impaired driving as major causes of crashes in active work zones.
The survey findings also reinforce the risks motorists face in work zone crashes. While contractors in both states reported no construction worker fatalities resulting from work zone crashes over the past year, South Carolina respondents reported multiple driver and passenger fatalities associated with these incidents.
Contractors throughout the Carolinas expressed concerns about whether current laws and enforcement efforts are doing enough to deter unsafe driving behaviors in highway work zones. More than half of South Carolina respondents said penalties for unsafe driving in work zones should be more severe, while 41 percent of North Carolina contractors said current penalties are sufficient only if enforcement improves.
Respondents in both states strongly supported additional safety measures including increased police presence in work zones, stricter enforcement of existing laws, tougher penalties for moving violations, and stronger distracted driving laws.
“Summer construction season means more crews working just feet away from active traffic,” said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, chief executive officer of AGC of America. “Drivers who speed, use their phones, or fail to stay alert put both motorists and roadway workers at serious risk.”
The nationwide survey included responses from more than 700 highway construction firms, including contractors from North Carolina and South Carolina. AGC continues to urge lawmakers and transportation officials to prioritize work zone safety through stronger enforcement efforts, improved driver awareness, and enhanced safety planning.
See National results
See North Carolina results
See South Carolina results