New Bill Aims to Create a Safer Environment for Road Workers

Along with Spring flowers, May 1, 2023, brought a new automated pilot program to the state of Indiana. House Bill 1015 was signed by Governor Eric Holcomb and will allow cameras in four work zones statewide. Drivers going at least 11 miles per hour over the limit would be ticketed, with the first ticket resulting in just a warning.

In 2022, work zone crashes and accidents resulted in 31 deaths and 1,426 injuries in Indiana. The law is based on a similar Pennsylvania pilot program, which has shown a significant reduction in fatal crashes. “There’s nothing more important than the safety of our members, and the safety of everyone out on the road,” said LIUNA Vice President and Midwest Regional Manager David A. Frye. “All the evidence we have says that these cameras are an effective tool in encouraging people to slow down and be more careful in work zones. There is still a lot more we can do, but this is a great step.”

Left to right: Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, LiUNA member Danny Herrington, Indiana Laborers District Council Business Manager Brian Short, LIUNA Vice President and Midwest Regional Manager David A. Frye, and Dennis Demoss with Rieth-Riley Construction.

The newly signed law will take effect July 1, 2023, but may take up to a year to fully implement. Signs will be posted before drivers head into a camera-patrolled zone and at the point they exit the zone.

In response to privacy concerns, the cameras will only take photos of the license plates on cars travelling in excess of 11 mph or more over the work zone speed limit. Additionally, workers have to be present in order for a ticket to be issued. Moreover, the photos can only be used within the speeding case, and will remain confidential as property of the state.

“We’ve fought for this legislation for years, so it feels good to finally get it passed and signed into law. We thank the men and women from both parties who helped make this possible,” said Indiana Laborers District Council Business Manager Brian Short. “It shows that the safety of the men and women who are building the highways, roads, and bridges in Indiana is not, and should not, be a partisan issue.”