Thirty-two cones – each one represents a person who died in a work zone accident in Illinois in 2022.  The two front cones represent the two workers who lost their lives on the job.

It’s road construction season, and more orange signs are popping up on roadways. This week is Work Zone Safety Awareness Week, and The Illinois Department of Transportation is joining with frontline construction workers to educate drivers about the role they play in work zone safety. Don Bradley is a highway maintainer for IDOT and has been hit twice.  He says, “workers aren’t paying attention, and they’re on their phones.”  He adds that cars are often going 80 miles-per-hour right next to workers.

Illinois State Patrol Captain Jody Huffman says it’s a continual process to make sure “we have drivers from the youngest to the oldest know the importance of slowing down in a work zone.”  She adds “it’s ongoing education and then continued enforcement to make sure we can provide the necessary deterrent for people to slow down.”  Speeding in a work zone (first offense) carries a fine of $250, and a second offense results in a 90-day driver’s license suspension as well as a $750 fine, according to Huffman.   IDOT encourages drivers to eliminate distractions, decrease their speed, and proceed with caution when approaching a work zone.