While driving through a work zone, when should you reduce your speed?

While driving through a work zone, when should you reduce your speed?

• A. Lower your speed even farther any time workers are present
• B. Maintain the posted limit
• C. Speed up to clear the area
• D. Slow down only if directed by a flagger

Answer: (A)

In work zones, protecting people along the road is the priority, so you should slow down whenever you see workers. The area can have changing lanes, narrowed roads, and workers moving near traffic, plus equipment and temporary barriers, all of which increase your risk if you’re traveling at normal highway speeds. Reducing your speed gives you more time to react to sudden movements, lane shifts, or signals from a flagger. If there’s a posted reduced speed for the work zone, follow it, and if a flagger is directing traffic, obey their signals, but don’t wait for them to tell you to slow down—start slowing as you approach the work zone and continue to adjust your speed to conditions.