Slow down before you have to
Begin slowing down as soon as you see the orange warning signs. The posted reduced limit is the maximum, not the recommendation. Most work zones double fines for speeding, and many states extend the doubled fines to all moving violations within the zone.
Watch for lane shifts and merges
Work zones often shift the lane sideways or close one lane entirely. Use the zipper merge: when a lane is closing, take turns merging at the actual closure point rather than merging early and creating a long line.
Follow the flagger, not the signs
A flagger directing traffic overrides the regular signals. Their hand signals or paddle indicate when to stop and when to proceed. Do not move forward without explicit clearance even if the line ahead of you starts to move.