You know the chaos of construction zones, which so often dot the roadways during times of warm weather. To make space, crews cordon off entire lanes, creating a bottleneck of traffic with heavy machinery and workers a few feet away. Construction zones often feel like loud, annoying obstacles to our driving. You must drive through them with certain practices and regulations in mind, though. To discover what these tips for driving through a construction zone are, read on.

Slow Down and Watch for Workers

Though many signs instruct drivers to decrease their speed in construction zones, it’s a good practice even if nothing orders you to do so. If you see anything from a small maintenance crew to a larger construction project, decrease your speed. Doing so gives you more time to readily observe your potentially unpredictable surroundings. Don’t take for granted that workers will stay in place—be ready to take evasive maneuvers if anyone should enter your path. This is a particularly bad time to have your attention on your phone, and there are serious laws against device use in a construction zone.

Obey Posted Zone Signs

Beyond slowing down to heed speed limit changes, watch for additional signage. When a project restricts street access, you’ll find signs indicating a detour route you should take. Also, when several lanes merge into one, there will be signs to indicate this, some of which are very close to the actually merging point. Ignoring these and other signs can complicate your driving experience through these areas and make traversing them unpleasant for you and other drivers; not to mention, this can cost you money in the event you receive a ticket.

Beware of Dangerous Debris

Another tip for driving through a construction site is to avoid roadway debris. Protecting your car’s tires—the only part of your car that contacts the ground—is incredibly important. Though construction crews strive to keep the roadway clear, sometimes metal or concrete debris enters your path. When you run it over, you could damage your tire and experience a blowout or flat tire. Alternating between scanning for workers and scanning the road in front of you is a good compromise, so you stay on top of things. If you do sustain a flat tire driving through a construction site, contact our team at RNR Tire Express. We operate a Colorado Springs tires shop and offer easy payment plans so that you can buy new tires without breaking the bank.