Maryland leaders kicked off a safety campaign on Tuesday urging people to slow down in highway work zones.
Thousands of work zone crashes occurred between 2018 and 2022, and 44 people were killed, according to Maryland State Police. Many of these crashes did not have to happen, Col. Roland Butler said.
“As we gather here today, we must highlight that many of these crashes, injuries and deaths were not inevitable; they were preventable,” he said.
In Baltimore on Tuesday, state leaders recognized the Francis Scott Key Bridge workers who were killed in the collapse. Events included a “unity ride” with hundreds of construction vehicles on Baltimore I-695. Six highway workers died in March 2023 when a speeding driver crashed into their construction zone.
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Other highway workers who were killed in the state also were recognized, including Eric Lewis. He was killed in a hit-and-run on the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County in December as he worked on a tree-trimming crew.
What to know about new Maryland work zone speeding tickets
Transportation leaders said they want to raise safety awareness at the start of the summer road project season and remind drivers that speeding is about to get more expensive.
Gov. Wes Moore recently signed the Maryland Road Worker Protection Act. It substantially increases fines for drivers who speed through highway construction zones.
Starting June 1, fines will double from $40 to $80.
Next year, there will be a tiered system of fines, depending on how much drivers exceed the speed limit. Fines can be as high as $1,000 if you’re going more than 40 mph over the limit.
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Once the law kicks in, there will not be a grace period; fines will start right away. The revenue from the tickets will fund highway and pedestrian safety programs.
More than 1,200 crashes were reported in work zones across Maryland last year alone.
