As NY construction accident attorneys, we commend Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement to commemorate National Work Zone Awareness Week and launch an Automated Work Zone Speed Monitoring Pilot Program. The initiative is aimed at protecting highway workers and enforcing speed limits in construction and maintenance work zones along New York State highways.
Construction workers face numerous hazards, and one of the most dangerous is working in highway work zones. NY Highway workers are particularly vulnerable to accidents caused by speeding vehicles. The rise in work zone speed violations in recent years has resulted in numerous highway worker injuries and several deaths among state and contractor personnel. Therefore, this program is a step in the right direction in ensuring the safety of highway workers.
The Automated Work Zone Speed Monitoring pilot program was established by legislation signed into law by Governor Hochul. Under the program, all vehicles detected violating the posted speed limit within a work zone by over an established threshold will be fined.
The fines for the program are as follows: $50 for the first violation, $75 for the second violation, and $100 for the third and subsequent violations within 18 months of the first violation. As required by law, 60 percent of the funds collected by NYSDOT and the Thruway Authority through the program will supplement work zone safety projects.
To ensure that motorists are aware of the program, the State Department of Transportation and the Thruway Authority are launching a comprehensive public awareness campaign. The campaign will utilize various advertising and social media opportunities that target drivers across the state. The campaign will use billboard advertisements, broadcast and streaming radio, Waze, and more to highlight the new program and improve motorist compliance with traffic safety laws in highway work zones.
“Operation Hardhat” also ongoing this week in NY
Additionally, the State Police will be dressed as highway maintenance workers in active highway work zones on highways across New York as part of the ongoing “Operation Hardhat” initiative. Troopers will be present within the work zones to identify motorists who disobey flagging personnel, speed through the work zone, or violate the state’s Move Over Law, which applies to both emergency and maintenance vehicles.
In conclusion, this initiative is commendable, and we hope it sets a precedent for other states to follow. As construction accident attorneys, we have seen the devastating impact that work zone accidents can have on the lives of workers and their families. It is essential to take every possible measure to ensure the safety of construction workers, and we applaud Governor Hochul’s efforts in this regard.