Speeders caught on camera, new Indiana law will prevent construction site tragedy

 

ELKHART, Ind. -- On July 1st, hundreds of laws will take effect in the Hoosier state.

One of the new laws going into effect will help to prevent worksite tragedy on the roads.

“There’s not a more important topic to us than road safety,” says Rick Fedder, Chief Operating Officer of the Indiana Toll Road.

House Bill 1015 will bring a substantial improvement to the safety of road workers and motorists across the state. 

The new law, effective July 1st, will allow the Indiana Department of Transportation to establish a new speed control pilot program in four construction sites across Hoosier interstates, catching speeders with cameras. 

“If you’re driving more than 45 miles an hour in a posted 45 mile an hour work zone, you’re just placing your own life in jeopardy, and you’re placing the lives of our employees and contractors in jeopardy,” Fedder says.

According to the Indiana Department of Labor, transportation-related deaths are the leading cause of death for workers in the state.  

Under the new law, drivers caught on camera going 11 miles an hour over the posted speed limit will receive a warning for the first offense. A second offense will cost $75, and additional violations cost $150 each. 

Fedder, who traveled to the statehouse himself to testify in support of the new legislation, says it’s a small price to pay to protect road workers.

“In the last handful of years, we’ve lost two of our employees that were out just performing the work that they perform that they’re trained to do, and drivers just not paying attention to what they should be doing, and unfortunately resulted in the loss of life of our employees,” says Fedder.

He stood behind Governor Eric Holcomb as he signed off on the bill in May. 

As one of the busiest and largest interstates in Michiana, he hopes the Indiana Toll Road will be selected as one of the trial sites. 

“We’d really like to see how that works up here as well,” admits Fedder. “It’s a major interstate in the state of Indiana.” 

Either way, he says he’s happy to see a new effort from the state to enforce speed limits and hold drivers accountable. 

“If we violate those, and we get a ticket, that’s a reminder to us that we’ve done something wrong,” Fedder explains. 

He adds that there’s still a lot of program development work that needs to be done before the program can go live, so drivers shouldn’t expect to see the cameras until next construction season, which is next year.