Britain’s road and motorway networks are among the busiest anywhere in the world. They are also safe, and statistics show that road casualties are at their lowest level in 40 years. Injuries to UK road workers are on the rise, however.
The roads of today are very congested, making a road’s live carriageway a hazardous and dangerous place to work. A study conducted by Oxford University revealed that road maintenance was the 16th-most dangerous occupation in the UK. The majority of fatalities are caused by workers being struck by vehicles coming from behind on motorways or major trunk roads. The vehicles of road workers are highly visible and have reflective chevrons. Find out more about Chevron Kits by visiting Vehicle Chevrons
HTMA, or Highways Term Maintenance Association, is a group that works to influence government policy in order to ensure the safety of road workers. The association was founded in 2005, and their goal is no injuries and zero deaths among road workers.
The following are their long-term safety goals:
- Improved designs for maintenance and operations that also reduce costs, congestion and intervention.
- Reduce the exposure of workers in traffic.
- The importance of road workers’ safety is highlighted, and the public is educated on the issues.
- Education is a key component in improving road users’ awareness and behaviour.
It is dangerous to work alongside traffic. The following tasks could be performed by road workers:
- Gritting roads in winter
- Repairs after an accident
- Fixing barriers, upgrading road markings and fixing fences
- Resurfacing or fixing the road surface
- Construction of a new carriageway
- Cutting the grass at central reservations and junctions
- Maintaining drainage systems
- Cleaning litter from the road
- Replacing street lighting bulbs
Driver behaviour has become a growing concern, as well as the danger posed by oncoming traffic. Drivers who are frustrated often abuse road workers. The HTMA is constantly working to increase awareness about the work done by road workers, and encourage the public to adopt a more positive attitude.
A shocking 2007 study by the RAC revealed that:
Drivers had verbally and/or physically abused 80% of the workers
40% of those surveyed had been subjected to such abuse daily.
Abuse took many forms, including being verbally abused, having objects thrown at them and even injuries caused by the vehicles themselves. The speed of drivers through roadworks is the most concerning issue. The speed of drivers can lead to many near-misses, and unfortunately, even collisions. Drivers disregard speed limits and leave workers at risk.
In the past, campaigns have been focused on showing respect for road workers and highlighting the dangers they face. They also remind drivers to be extra careful when driving around roadworks.