Safety Matters

A new campaign is reminding motorists that when they’re on the highway, they’re also in someone’s workplace. 

For the hundreds of people in work crews on Nova Scotia’s roads this summer, they face hazards no other workplace does – thousands of vehicles moving at high speed through their work site.

Recently, three employees of a highway road crew near Digby were injured as the result of a crash in a work zone. And in road twinning work near Linwood, Antigonish County, a motorist died and several others were injured in a chain reaction collision. 

While mitigating factors such as signage, high-visibility clothing, and fines are in place to check driver behaviour, road workers are largely dependent on attentive and respectful drivers to go home safely at the end of their day.

Speeding in a work zone will net motorists double the usual fines, along with demerit points on their driving records. Fines, including court costs, can range from $352 for a first offence to $2,422 for a third.

Drivers need to take precautions and avoid distractions when they are behind the wheel. They need to:
• Budget extra time when travelling
• Watch for construction zones
• Use caution
• Slow down
• Obey construction zone signs
• Obey traffic-control people
• Eliminate distractions, such as cell phone usage, behind the wheel

Users of streets and sidewalks should also be aware that Halifax Regional Municipality has a number of road safety initiatives underway to create safer roadways and neighbourhoods, as they work to eliminate fatalities and injuries caused by collisions. HRM is using social media to remind people to watch out for crews in construction zones this summer as they make improvements to streets and sidewalks.

Additionally, the province’s Department of Transportation and Active Transit (formerly Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal) has kicked off a work zone safety campaign this week, using radio and social media to remind drivers of their role in keeping road crews safe on Nova Scotia highways this summer.

Related articles: 
Five people injured - Digby
One fatality, seven injured - Antigonish
Slow down, move over
Cell phone fines