In late July, INDOT launched Indiana Safe Zones, a five-year worksite speed control pilot program to protect the lives of motorists and construction workers across the Hoosier state. The program was authorized by House Enrolled Act 1015 during the 2023 legislative session.
Starting Wednesday, Aug. 14, camera technology will be deployed in the current I-70 construction zone in Hancock County (MM 95-105). Deployment will start with a pre-enforcement warning period during which no violations will be issued, but courtesy warnings will be sent. Additional worksites will be added to the program over time. By statute, INDOT may deploy cameras in up to four sites at any given time.
Over the past decade, 269 people have been killed in crashes in highway worksites or in worksite backups in Indiana. In 2023 alone, 33 people were killed and more than 1,750 were injured in INDOT work zones. Four out of five people killed in work zones are either drivers or their passengers.
Here’s how Indiana Safe Zones will work:
- Signs will be posted as motorists enter and exit worksites notifying them that speed limits are being monitored by an automated system.
- The system will monitor the speed of vehicles using speed timing devices as they pass through the work zone. When a vehicle is determined to be traveling 11 mph or more above the posted speed limit, the system will capture an image of the vehicle’s rear license plate. After the data is validated, violations will be certified and issued to the owner of the vehicle by mail.
- The pilot program will begin with a pre-enforcement period, during which drivers will receive courtesy notices but will not be fined.
- After the pre-enforcement period ends, the first violation will result in a zero-fine warning, the second in a $75 civil penalty, and every violation thereafter a penalty of $150. In accordance with the statute, collected penalties will go into the state’s General Fund.
- Workers must be present at the site at the time of the event for violations to be valid.
Similar programs in other states have significantly improved work zone safety. Two years after Maryland launched its program, speeding violations in construction sites fell by more than 80% and incidence of worksite-related crashes, fatalities and injuries were at their lowest in more than 10 years. In the first year that Pennsylvania began continuously enforcing its program, it saw a more than 19% drop in worksite crashes.
Data collected by Indiana Safe Zones will be used strictly for this program, and will not be used for surveillance or other law enforcement purposes. The Indiana Department of Transportation will share annual reports throughout the five-year pilot program with members of the Indiana General Assembly and the traveling public.
To learn more about Indiana Safe Zones, including active locations and answers to frequently asked questions, visit SafeZonesIN.com.
Stay Informed
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About the Indiana Department of Transportation
INDOT continues to solidify the Hoosier State as the Crossroads of America through delivery of Gov. Eric J. Holcomb’s $60 billion Next Level Roads plan. With six district offices and 3,500 employees, the agency is charged with constructing and maintaining more than 29,000 lane miles of highways, more than 5,700 bridges, and supporting 4,500 rail miles and 127 aviation facilities across the state. For the eighth consecutive year, Indiana has placed within the top ten in the nation for infrastructure in CNBC’s “America’s Top States for Business” rankings. Learn more about INDOT at in.gov/indot.
About Buckle Up Phone Down
Buckle Up Phone Down is a safety initiative adopted by the Indiana Department of Transportation in late 2023. Unrestrained motorists and passengers, as well as distracted driving continue to be contributing factors in fatal and serious injury crashes on Indiana roadways. Buckle Up Phone Down is one of many efforts to change driver behavior and improve roadway safety across Indiana.
The actions are simple: when you get into a vehicle, buckle up. If you are the driver, put the phone down. Every trip. Every time. Learn more and accept the challenge at BUPDIN.com.
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