Indiana implements speed cameras in work zones to enhance safety
Indiana – In an attempt to enhance safety in work zones, Indiana has recently enacted a law that utilizes automated speed enforcement cameras to levy fines on those drivers who exceed the speed limit in these areas. House Bill 1015, assented to by Governor Eric Holcomb in May 2023, is set to come into effect as of July 1, 2023. However, owing to logistical necessities, the actual deployment of these speed-monitoring devices is anticipated to begin in early 2024.
The innovative technology used by these cameras combines license plate scanning with speed tracking to ascertain if a vehicle exceeds the speed limit by more than 11 miles in a designated work zone. A vehicle identified in this manner will result in the owner receiving a mailed notification. Penalties will escalate with repeated offenses: a warning will be issued for the first offense, a fine of $75 for the second, and a fine of $150 for the third.
The goal of this new initiative, as stated by Richard Hedgecock, president of Indiana Constructor’s Inc., is twofold: ensuring the safety of motorists and the protection of construction workers. “This is something we’ve been pursuing for a while, and our people are thrilled. We want [construction workers] to be able to go home to their families every day,” Hedgecock explained.
The application of these cameras forms part of a five-year trial program. Indiana’s Department of Transportation (INDOT) revealed that they would draw from the experience of similar systems successfully employed in other states. INDOT representative Natalie Garrett stated, “Indiana’s program is mirrored closely off of Pennsylvania’s program. We’re kind of taking the best practices, what’s worked for them, and trying to implement that to some extent here.”
The law permits INDOT to install cameras exclusively in work zones, with clear signage to indicate their presence. Importantly, for a speeding citation to be issued, it is required that construction workers be actively engaged in the work zone.
