Highway construction season initiates new measures to protect workers

[MARCH 31, 2005]  CHICAGO -- The Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Police are reminding motorists that construction season is about to kick into gear and warning them that tough new laws are on the books targeting drivers who flout work zone speed limits and endanger the lives of construction workers and other drivers.

"Next week is Work Zone Safety Week and the traditional beginning to highway construction season," Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Timothy W. Martin said. "We want to send a message to motorists now to slow down in work zones. If you are caught speeding in a work zone, at minimum you will be looking at a fine of $375; at worst, you can kill yourself, a loved one or a worker."

Under enhanced penalties passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Rod Blagojevich last year, first-time work zone speeders, including those caught on camera, will be hit with a fine of $375, with $125 of that sum going to pay off-duty state troopers to provide added enforcement in construction or maintenance zones. Two-time offenders are subject to a $1,000 fine, including a $250 surcharge to hire troopers, and the loss of their license for 90 days.

Starting in July, state troopers will deploy specially equipped vans that can take photographs of drivers speeding in Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Tollway construction and maintenance zones. Tickets will be issued by mail to vehicle owners.

In addition, drivers who hit a worker are subject to a fine of up to $10,000 and 14 years in prison.

"Preventing the accidents and injuries caused by crashes occurring in work zones is a significant responsibility for the Illinois State Police," said Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent. "We must protect these workers who ultimately make all of us safer by improving our roadways. Troopers assigned to work zone details will take a zero-tolerance approach when issuing citations to speed limit violators. The message is clear: Slow down; we're serious about work zone safety."

Gov. Blagojevich has set a goal of reducing traffic deaths to fewer than 1,000 a year by 2008. The work zone speeding crackdown is just one of the ways state transportation and law enforcement are working to accomplish that goal.

According to provisional data from 2004, 39 people were killed in work zones last year, with two of them being workers. In 2003, 44 people were killed in work zones, with five being workers.

Under the provisions of the Automated Traffic Control Systems in Highway Construction or Maintenance Zones Act of 2004, Illinois State Police were given the authority to use cameras to enforce work zone speed limits in cases where workers are present. The act also requires that signs be posted when work zone speed limits are being enforced by camera.

Photo enforcement vans will be equipped with cameras designed to record a clear image of the vehicle and driver, its speed and registration plate. The registered owner will not be liable if someone else is driving the vehicle.

Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police officials stressed the importance of complying with work zone speed limits even when workers are not present, because of the dangers posed by features such as narrow lanes, lane jogs, reduced shoulder width, obstructions and drop-offs.

Officials will also be conducting an outreach effort Friday directed at members of the driving public at highway rest stops and tollway oases around the state.

The increased work zone speeding penalties and photo speed enforcement are just two of the recommendations of the Work Zone Safety Task Force assembled by Gov. Blagojevich in 2003. Other recommendations of the task force, comprised of members from the Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, the Illinois Tollway, Federal Highway Administration, labor and industry representatives, include:

• Better-defined work zones -- Projects on multilane highways have signs better identifying the appropriate speed in a particular work zone and also when it is safe to resume normal speed.
• Modified driver education curriculum -- A compact disc and teaching manuals have been mailed to more than 1,500 high schools and private driver education facilities.
• New signage -- A new sign has been developed and is being placed at projects throughout the state publicizing work zone-related penalties: "Hit a worker, $10,000 fine, 14 years in jail."
• Message boards -- There is enhanced use of stationary and portable changeable message boards in and around work zones.

[News release from the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police]