NBC 5 Report: Drivers Ignoring Work Zone Speed Limits
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State law restricts the speed limit in Illinois highway construction zones to 45 mph–whether workers are present or not.
But according to an NBC 5 report, barely anyone actually obeys the law.
In their video report, out of the 500 vehicles traveling through an I-294 construction zone, only three cars actually were obeying the speed limit. Three!
And NBC 5 has the video to prove it.
Three is also the number of workers who have been killed in construction zones on Illinois roadways so far in 2012.
Fines for violating a work zone speed limit is $375, but enforcement does not seem to be a priority to the Illinois State Police.
Maybe NBC5 should look into the real problem, which is that IL law is stupid. Many other states only enforce work zones when workers are present. IL posts the work zone and then leaves it up for months. Guess what? When drivers spend a lot of time going through a zone that shouldn’t be restricted (because there are no workers), they stop obeying the law and default back to a safe speed for the road (which may still be above the “normal” speed limit). Then, when there finally are workers there, the traffic is flying by in an unsafe manner.
IL needs to adopt the “when workers are present” for those.
Just like school zones. Then ask how many highway workers were killed by other highway workers? The answer may surprise you!
That wasn’t the high score machine? I always see those numbers flashing and thought it was the score I needed to beat.
Make the work zone limits reasonable both in speed and duration, and people will follow them more. Keeping 45 MPH signs up when there is clearly no road work being done is just begging for people to ignore them.
Pete,
I’m kinda with you here. Workers need to be protected and kept safe. But what about when no one is around working?
What about employing digital speed limit signs that could have reduced speeds when workers are present or higher speed limits when no one is around? Or speed limit signs with flashing red lights indicating workers are on site.
It seems that 45 mph in a work zone where no one is working is not working.
Got to agree and disagree. Yes, certainly the DOT needs to take the signs down after the work has moved on. But, unless signs can be put up showing the specific changing limits, you cannot have work zone speed limits vary as to whether or not workers are present. (If you could produce effective and reliable signs that can actually be controlled by the workers, great. Otherwise, for example, signs that changed based on timers, either workers would be at risk if still in the zone when the time changed or the Pete’s of the World would substitute their own judgment because of the absence of proof that workers were “actually” working.
The irresponsible “80th percentile” drivers (yes, Pete I am looking directly at you) will not notice whether or not workers are actually present, will cruise through the work zones at speeds far in excess of 45 MPH (after all, Car drivers don’t feel that threatened by work zones and thus the 80th percentile will go faster… and to hell with the workers) The societal cost is too high to allow this to be driven by the 80th percentile of the drivers because they are not the ones at risk.
Personally, since people ignore the 45 mph work zone speed limits right now, I would drop the limit to 30 or 35 MPH as the net result would be an “actual” speed closer to 45 to 50 MPH.
David,
I’d prefer we don’t use “Gabe Klein” logic on our freeways. “If only the speed limit was 1 no one would get hurt!” A dumb law will get ignored regardless of it’s intentions.
Here’s an idea, buy some digital speed signs that can change when workers are present. Considering some of these projects are taking years to complete, having a slow zone when no work is being done is ridiculous. I-55 and Central Ave has been under construction for a year with two more to go. I-55 is almost undriveable because of it, even though there are no lane closures. And rest assured the workers aren’t working 24-7.
Every other state outside of Illinois has construction speed limit signs that say 45 MPH When Workers Present. The sign has yellow flashing lights on top that flash when workers are on site to alert drivers.
Why oh why are Chicago politicians such morons they think our problems are so unique that we can’t ever use solutions that seem to work everywhere else?
David, I see your point here, but I agree with Saucexx.
Digital speed signs could be turned off or on depending on if work was being done or not. I think this makes a lot of sense.
Dropping the speed limit to new absurd lows will do nothing but cause even more traffic problems by putting the people who obey the law no matter how absurd in even greater conflict with those who make their own judgments in real time.
The most dangerous driving I have ever done was to obey work zone speed limits to the letter. Ever have a semi inches from your rear bumper? Ever have someone violently flip out at you after nearly rear-ending you? Go ahead and obey those absurd 24-7 work zone speed limits.