Strictly keep to the speed limits and observe prohibitions in force, pay attention to the instructions given.
Keep a good distance from the vehicle in front of you, and drive carefully, paying attention to the road ahead. This is particularly important in the case of one-lane traffic routing where you have no room to swerve out of the way if the vehicle in front of you comes to a sudden halt. Remember: the most frequent accident at road work zones is the rear-end collision.
Expect the unexpected and the unfamiliar, above all, in the lead-in/exit tapers. These areas are often extremely short and steep, for instance, in Spain and Italy.
Remember that you are required by law to observe the so-called zipper system of merging when lanes are closed. This means remaining in the lane until the road narrows, looking into the mirror, indicating and then merging in alteration with traffic in the other lane according to the zipper system of merging.
Remember that a wide HGV or a car + trailer will need more room at the beginning of the lead-in/exit tapers.
If you are uncertain, then remain in the right-hand lane. This lane is usually wider than the left lane and you do not come so close to oncoming traffic.
Only overtake if you feel that you are capable of doing so and proceed briskly. Do not forget that the left lane is often narrower than the right lane.
Focus on your lane and do not let your gaze linger for longer periods on the surrounding areas, because you will be automatically drawn to where your gaze is fixed.
If you break down, switch on your hazard warning lights immediately, and if there are no lay-bys or if these are impossible to reach, try to park your vehicle outside the traffic lane, for instance between two beacons. You and your passengers should then immediately leave your vehicle, moving away from the traffic side, and try to find a safe place. In Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria, all passengers must put on warning vests before leaving the vehicle. Do not attempt to push your vehicle to a distant lay-by as this is too dangerous. If you have a puncture, continue to drive carefully to the end of the road work zone and then stop at a lay-by or an emergency lane.
Take care when work is being carried out at night. What is particularly critical here is the transition from the illuminated working area to the dark motorway.
Find out about road work zones along your route, especially in foreign countries. Be prepared for different rules, road markings in different colours (for instance, white, yellow, orange or red) and for unfamiliar and poorly visible traffic signs. In some countries, traffic signs are positioned near the ground and in situations with heavy traffic, these signs are almost impossible to see when driving in the left lane. The safest option in this case is to remain in the right lane.
EuroTests - EuroTest 2005
