Work Zone Safety is Taken Seriously by Illinois Law Enforcement

 Posted on May 18,2016 in Uncategorized

In honor of National Work Zone Safety Week, law enforcement across Illinois put forth effort to raise awareness about exercising care when driving through active and inactive work and construction zones. National Work Zone Safety Week was the week of April 11th 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.

Highway construction is a problem that is acutely experienced by drivers in Illinois, especially around big cities. However,road construction is a necessary part of maintaining our highways and byways. As such, it is important that drivers exercise care when driving through a work zones. Law enforcement takes traffic violationsin work zones very seriously.

Work Zone Safety Stats

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were more than 4,300 accidents that occurred in construction zones in 2015. Of these accidents, 1,000 resulted in injuries to construction workers, drivers and passengers. There were also 46 fatalities resulting from work zone traffic accidents. More often than not, it is motorists who are passing through a work zone who are involved in traffic accidents. Inattentiveness, driving at too high of a rate of speed, and following too closely are some of the leading causes of work zone traffic accidents.

Work Zone Speeding Tickets

Speed limits are strictly enforced in work zones, and you can get a speeding ticket even if no workers are present when you are caught speeding. 625 ILCS 5/11-05.1 is the Illinois statute for speeding tickets issued for offenses committed while driving through a work zone. It does not matter whether the workers are present in the work site or not, and work zones are one of the few locations where law enforcement is permitted to use radar and lidar detection means to determine a driver’s speed as evidence that the driver was speeding in the work zone.

Work zones are clearly identified as they are required to have posted signage indicating where awork zone begins and terminates, as well as the posted maximum and minimum speed limit. Fines for a first offense can range from $250 to $750. A second-time offense within a period of two years can cost a driver his or her license. Court appearances are mandatory, and dealing with the courts for a traffic ticket can be difficult as there are very specific rules that must be followed. You should consider working with an experienced traffic offenses lawyer to fight your ticket.

Let Us Help With Your Ticket

Traffic tickets can happen to anyone, even the best drivers. When a traffic offense occurs in certain locations, such as in a school or work zone, the associated fines and penalties can be more severe. If you have been cited for a traffic violation, you should contact an experienced traffic offenses lawyer immediately. Please contact a Rolling Meadows traffic offense attorney at our firm for assistance. We will help you throughout each step of your case.

Sources:

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/outreach/wz_awareness.htm

http://www.idot.illinois.gov/assets/uploads/files/travel-information/pamphlets-&-brochures/workzone%20il%20fact%20sheet.pdf