This Is What Happens If You Hit a Construction Barrel (Hint: Don’t Do It)

BROUGHT TO YOU BY Mortons on the Move

"We’ve all contended with a construction zone on a long road trip. Keeping your vehicle within the narrow channels between construction cones and barrels can be challenging, especially if you’re driving or towing a large RV."

What Are Construction Barrels Made Of?

Modern-day construction barrels are hard plastic (or polyethylene), but they haven’t always been. Until the late ’80s, construction barrels were 55-gallon metal drums.

Construction barrels can stand up to a stiff wind or passing vehicles, but they are also light enough to give way if you hit them. The barrels weigh about 20 to 25 pounds. The rubber stabilizer at the bottom of the barrels weighs anywhere from 25 to 30 pounds.

How Much Does a Construction Barrel Weigh?

What Can Happen If You Hit a Construction Barrel?

A few things could happen if you hit a construction barrel. All of them have much to do with the way you hit the barrel. If you clip one with your vehicle, you’re likely to lose your side mirror or leave a nasty black scuff mark down the side of your car.”

What Are the Rules for Driving Through a Construction Zone?

The number one rule is to SLOW DOWN. Construction sites always have reduced speed limits. These limits are in place to not only protect the workers on the ground but also drivers. Roads under construction have new dips, turns, and bumps that likely won’t support the regular speed limit for that stretch of road.

Can You Be Fined for Hitting a Construction Barrel?

You certainly could receive a fine for hitting a construction barrel, especially if workers are present. However, whether trouble follows your collision with a construction barrel has more to do with the circumstances surrounding the hit.

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Have you had an encounter with a traffic cone or construction barrel?