Officials in the state of Washington want to use cameras to improve safety for workers on highway construction sites.
Officials showed off the new technology at a press conference on Wednesday. The new cameras will look for cars going over the speed limit and take a picture of the vehicle and its license plate.
The information will be sent to Washington State Patrol, and the infraction will be mailed to the driver within 30 days.
The first violation will be a warning, but after that drivers can expect a $248 fine for each violation. The money will go toward work zone cameras, DUI patrols and safety programs. The violations won’t go on the driver’s record.
The state will post signage warning people when a work zone has a camera. And in some cases, digital readerboards will tell drivers how fast they’re going.
The endeavor will begin with one camera, before adding two more in the spring and reaching as many as six by the summer. Up to 15 cameras could be operating by 2027.
Cameras will only be active while workers are on site.
Washington averages over 1,300 work zone crashes annually, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
In 2023, there were eight fatal crashes in work zones across the state, while another 28 caused serious injuries. Speeding was a factor in about a third of those crashes.
“The people being hurt and killed are not just our workers. They involve drivers, passengers and other travelers,” Washington State Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith said. “These cameras are for everyone’s safety.”
The program is set to run until 2030.
Source: Spokesman.com, KREM
