HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation hosted an event Monday urging motorists to slow down and pay attention in work zones ahead of National Work Zone Awareness Week.
The week, which runs April 17-21, is designated to encourage safe driving through work zones. The theme of this year’s NWZAW is “You play a role in work zone safety. Work with us.”
“Safety is PennDOT’s most important priority,” said PennDOT Executive Deputy Secretary Cheryl Moon-Sirianni. “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. 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.”
Since 1970, PennDOT has lost 90 workers in the line of duty. The PA Turnpike has lost 45 workers since 1940. According to preliminary PennDOT data, in 2022 there were 1,293 work zone crashes, resulting in 14 fatalities.
Many precautions are taken in work zones to keep workers safe, including proper training and routine safety inspections for workers, enhanced signing and information for motorists, and the use of positive protective equipment like crash trucks, barriers, and rumble strips. Drivers also play a role in keeping workers, themselves, and other motorists safe while traveling through work zones. The agencies urged drivers to always follow posted work zone speed limits and never drive distracted.
Cell phone use is not the only distraction while driving. Other common distractions include eating and drinking, reaching for objects inside the vehicle, changing settings in the vehicle, brushing hair or applying makeup, and over-engaging with passengers, to name a few.
In Pennsylvania, there are two distinct programs related to active work zones. Under Title 75, Section 3326, 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 Title 75, Section 3369, fines are allowed to be administered through the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement (AWZSE) program. Pennsylvania’s AWZSE program, first implemented in March 2020, 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. AWZSE systems are only operational in active work zones where workers are present. Work Zones that have an AWZSE system present and active will have unique signs in advance of the enforcement area, alerting drivers to the upcoming enforcement. 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 only; no points are assessed to driver’s licenses.
