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There is something genuinely disturbing, at least to some of us, of how casually many drivers rush through work zones with little or no apparent concern for the increased risks — to themselves, other drivers and especially the workers on the ground watching vehicles speed through despite caution signs, lights and flaggers.
According to preliminary data from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there were 1,293 work zone crashes in 2022, resulting in 14 fatalities. We don’t know the details, but it’s a safe bet that 1,293 accidents are too many, and certainly it’s 14 deaths that could have and should have been avoided.
The depressing data doesn’t stop with police crash data. PennDOT and the PA Turnpike also conduct internal monitoring of work zone safety, and last year counted 171 reported intrusions into PennDOT work zones. Thirteen of those led to injured PennDOT employees, 57 caused damage to PennDOT equipment or vehicles, and 101 fortunately didn’t result in injury or damage, but obviously still could have led to tragedy.
All these numbers came courtesy of a PennDOT media release noting that April 17 through 21 is National Work Zone Awareness Week (which leads to the consonant-heavy acronym NWZAW). On Monday PennDOT, the Turnpike Commission, State Police and Associated Pennsylvania Constructors hosted an event urging motorists to slow down and pay attention in work zones.
And there are very good reasons to do just that. As the release notes, there are two state programs at work here.
Title 75, section 3326 of the state consolidates statutes, “motorists caught by police driving 11 mph or more above the posted speed limit in an active work zone, or who are involved in a crash in an active work zone and are convicted for failing to drive at a safe speed, automatically lose their license for 15 days. Additionally, fines for certain traffic violations — including speeding, driving under the influence and failure to obey traffic devices — are doubled for active work zones. The law also provides for up to five years of additional jail time for individuals convicted of homicide by vehicle for a crash that occurred in an active work zone”
Under section 3369, fines are allowed to be administered through the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement program. Implemented in March 2020, the program “uses vehicle-mounted systems to detect and record motorists exceeding posted work zone speed limits by 11 miles per hour or more using electronic speed timing devices.” Used only in zones where workers are active, unique signage alerts drivers to the operation before entering the zone. “Registered owners receive a warning letter for a first offense, a violation notice and $75 fine for a second offense, and a violation notice and $150 fine for third and subsequent offenses. These violations are civil penalties; no points are assessed to driver’s licenses. For more information and a list of projects where the system is deployed, visit workzonecameras.penndot.gov/.
The release included the usual quote about safety as PennDOT’s top priority. “We implement many safety measures in our work zones, for the safety of both our workers and motorists, but we need drivers to work with us to ensure work zones are safe for everyone,” PennDOT Executive Deputy Secretary Cheryl Moon-Sirianni said in the release. “Slow down and never drive distracted, especially in work zones where roadway conditions can change every day. Only by working together can we keep everyone safe.”
But the release got to the nub of the problem with a quote from PSP Bureau of Patrol Director Major Robert Krol: “There is no excuse for speeding in work zones. Everyone should obey the posted speed limits, buckle up and pay attention to the road.”
Slow down. Follow the rules, drive as if someone you love is one of those trying to make our roads better. And we can’t stress the first part enough.
There’s is no excuse for speeding in work zones
– Times Leader