Going down Interstate 5 you may have noticed orange pavement markings. These are found in addition to traffic cones and orange barrels. These markings are meant to add to carpool lanes to reduce traffic in work zones. The aim is to deter potential traffic zone car crashes that will hopefully reduce the number of injury-causing and fatal accidents on California roadways.
The markings
The orange markings highlight the normal yellow and white markings on the highway. On one side of the interstate, the orange markings will be located on the sides of the white dashes or may split the two dashes lengthwise. The orange markings work as precautionary measures, as do orange barrels and signs.
Some studies state that 80% of respondents were more aware of orange markings on the road and 83% stated orange markings were easier to see than white ones. The National Safety Council states that in 2020, 857 people lost their lives and an additional 44,240 people were injured in collisions in work zones. Hopefully, the orange markings on roads help reduce these numbers.
Negligence in car crashes
Despite the orange markings, there will still be motorists who drive recklessly on California highways. All motorists in California have a duty to drive safely as a reasonable driver would under the same circumstances.
If a motorist breaches this duty by driving unsafely and this unsafe driving causes a motor vehicle accident, the negligent driver may be held accountable for their actions through a personal injury lawsuit.