Now that we are seeing days with nicer weather, we will also see many road crews from townships, county, state and service industries out performing work that requires traffic patterns to adjust or be monitored while the work takes place.

While improvements like new electric poles or road repairs become more frequent, so is the likelihood of work zone-related accidents and fatalities.

In 2015, Ohio saw 30 deaths and over 6,000 accidents within work zone areas and 700 fatalities nationally. This is far too many, and a little patience and awareness can make a huge difference in lessening injuries, deaths and damage to vehicles.

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has tips for drivers traveling through work zones.

• Don’t speed. Obey reduced speed limits in work zones. It takes less than a minute more to drive through a two-mile work zone at 45 m.p.h. than at 65 m.p.h. One of the most common causes of work zone crashes is excessive speed.

• Don’t Tailgate. Most accidents in work zones are rear-end collisions.

• Stay Alert. Dedicate your full attention to the roadway. The traffic pattern in a work zone may be shifted, and lanes may be closed. Watch for orange work zone directional signs, obey flaggers and be aware of workers and equipment which may be moving in a lane near you.

• Be Patient. Traffic delays in work zones are unavoidable, but patience can prevent accidents.

Using patience and vigilance, especially in work zone areas, can alleviate many of the accidents and fatalities that occur in work zones around the county, state and country.