Last week's fatal crash in a construction zone on the Indiana State Toll Road, also called Interstates 80 and 90, should serve as a reminder to people in this area of the importance of observing speed limits and paying attention in work zones.

But it also is important that those doing the road work install warning signs well in advance of the actual construction that clearly indicate what motorists will be required to do ahead — whether it be to merge to the left lane, merge to the right lane, or whatever. Some construction zone signs could be made more clear in that respect.

Signs indicating merely that a lane shift will occur ahead sometimes leave something to be desired, especially on heavily traveled highways, where a mistake or hesitation by one motorist could trigger a deadly crash involving numerous vehicles.

In last week's crash near Bristol, Ind., a tractor-trailer slammed into traffic that had slowed for a construction project. The rig rear-ended one vehicle, starting a chain reaction that involved two other tractor-trailers and four other passenger vehicles.

The crash killed eight people and injured two others, police said.

While it wasn't clear immediately why the tractor-trailer driver did not slow down as he approached the other traffic, authorities said warning signs had been posted along the highway up to three miles from the construction site.

Apparently the signs in place weren't clear enough for the truck driver — for whatever reason.

But Indiana State Police Sgt. Trent Smith was right in observing, "All it takes is one person not paying attention for a split second to cause these accidents."

State law in Pennsylvania requires vehicles in active work zones to have their headlights on. Meanwhile, motorists who ignore posted work-zone speed limits face double fines.

The lights requirement and doubled fines both are appropriate. However, unfortunately, neither nor both combined can guarantee safe, attentive driving by all motorists at all times.

Perhaps reflecting on last week's Indiana highway tragedy will cause some drivers to drive more safely in this area's construction zones. But the goal of contractors or state highway workers, in reflecting on that accident, must be to look for ways to make passage through construction areas easier and safer for passenger and commercial vehicles.

More and more orange construction-zone barrels are showing up virtually daily on area roadways. They should symbolize progress, not tragedy and grief.

Unfortunately, for the state of Indiana, it is forced to cope with the latter as it tries to determine what went so terribly wrong last week.