Pennsylvania bills promote safety efforts in work zones

Multiple Pennsylvania House lawmakers are pursuing a new rule and extending another rule intended to enhance safety in work zones.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, figures from the past decade in Pennsylvania show about 136 construction workers are killed each year in collisions that occur in active construction sites. Thousands more are seriously injured.

House Bill 1707

Rep. Jim Marshall, R-Beaver County, said it is time the Legislature does more to protect roadside construction workers.

His bill, HB1707, would increase penalties for driving offenses in active work zones.

First-time offenders would have two points added to their driver’s license and would face a $400 fine. Repeat offenders would face a 90-day driver’s license suspension and an $800 fine. Third infractions would result in a one-year license suspension and a $1,200 fine.

Marshall said in a memo that while the bill is “partially a preventative effort to deter unsafe driving, it will also increase penalties for injuring a worker or damaging construction equipment.”

Those penalties would include a six-month driver’s license suspension and completion of a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation driver safety course.

Half of the revenue raised would be allocated for the implementation of the driver safety course. The rest of the revenue would be allocated to reimburse the investigating law enforcement agency.

HB1707 is in the House Transportation Committee.

House Bill 1662

Another bill addressing work zone safety would extend the authorization of speed ticket cameras in active work zones around the state.

The state’s current camera program issues citations for exceeding the posted speed by at least 11 mph in active work zones. The program has a Feb. 16, 2024, sunset date.

This bill awaiting consideration on the House floor would make the program permanent. House Transportation Committee Chair Ed Neilson, D-Philadelphia County, is its sponsor.

We cannot let this program expire for even one day, I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to move this forward.https://t.co/tXQ8mKhZpu

— Rep. Ed Neilson (@RepNeilson) October 3, 2023

Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-Lackawanna, said HB1662 is critically important.

He recently told the House Transportation Committee that state DOT data shows there is a 15-50% reduction in work zone crashes where speed cameras are present.

Mullins also noted that PennDOT data shows only 18.6% of violations are by repeat offenders. First-time offenders receive a written warning.

“These numbers show that most drivers are slowing down in these zones, and after getting their first offense,” Mullins said.

He added that the program must continue because it has been successful in reducing excessive speeding and protecting motorists and roadside workers.

The bill calls for adding a requirement that warning signs, including at least one with flashing lights, be placed 1,000 feet ahead of the work zone.

Vehicle owners would be allowed to dispute speeding tickets if they were not behind the wheel at the time of the citation. Affected owners would not be required to disclose who was driving at the time.

Another provision would allow vehicle owners contesting violations at hearings to do so remotely. LL

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