What is the primary purpose of a flagger on the road?

The primary purpose of a flagger on the road is to warn drivers of construction or maintenance ahead. Flagger personnel play a crucial role in ensuring safety in areas where road work is taking place, as they provide visual signals and instructions to alert drivers to potential hazards. By signaling drivers before they enter a work zone, flaggers help to reduce the risk of accidents and ensure that both motorists and construction workers are safe.

While guiding drivers through detours and regulating traffic speed are important functions in traffic management, these are not the main duties of a flagger. Similarly, enforcing parking regulations is a separate responsibility that does not fall within the scope of a flagger's job. Thus, the central focus of a flagger is effectively to communicate the presence of ongoing construction or maintenance activities to drivers, which enhances overall road safety.