Do construction speed limits apply if you don’t see workers? What Pennsylvania law says
No matter where you’re driving in Pennsylvania these days, there’s practically bound to be construction slowing down your commute.
Construction and work zones present several dilemmas for drivers, ranging from increased congestion on the road to potentially heavy fines for speeding and other violations. Now, a relatively new program enforced throughout Pennsylvania is helping commonwealth officials crack down on speeding through work zones and improve safety.
But do work zone speed limits apply if you can’t see any active construction in progress? Here’s what the law says in Pennsylvania.
How is work zone speeding monitored in Pennsylvania?
Although law enforcement typically works to control speeding on major roads and highways throughout Pennsylvania, speeds in work zones are now largely monitored through the commonwealth’s Work Zone Speed Safety Camera (WZSSC) program.
The program, signed into law in 2018 and launched in early 2020, centers on a system that detects and monitors the speed of vehicles passing through Pennsylvania work zones. When the system determines a vehicle driving through a work zone is traveling at least 11 mph or more above the posted speed limit, it captures images of the front and rear of the vehicle and related information — such as the speed limit, location, date and time — to create a violation later matched with vehicle ownership information.
If a speeding violation created through the WZSSC system passes quality assurance checks, the vehicle’s registered owner will receive a notice through the mail. The program’s cameras are, by law, required to be recalibrated and recertified each year in addition to running daily self-tests to ensure operations run smoothly and effectively.
Drivers can schedule a hearing to contest any violation they receive by making a request by mail, online or in person. By law, Pennsylvania drivers can claim they were not the person driving their vehicle at the time of the violation, though they must provide supporting evidence when submitting their claim.
Pennsylvania is one of the first states to adopt a program in line with WZSSC. So far, a few states, including Maryland and Illinois, have implemented similar programs.
Where are WZSSC systems located in Pennsylvania?
The WZSSC program, through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, operates in work zones scattered throughout the commonwealth.
You can visit the program’s website at workzonecameras.penndot.gov/locations to browse a running list of current and former WZSSC locations along notable roads and highways.
What penalties are enforced for speeding through a work zone?
When found speeding through a work zone through automatic detection, drivers first receive a written warning that carries no financial penalty. However, motorists will face a $75 fine for a second violation and a $150 fine for all subsequent violations. Notably, automatic detection of work zone speeding does not add points to driver’s licenses.
If a driver is caught and pulled over by law enforcement for violating a work zone speed limit, they may face stiffer penalties, doubled fines or even criminal charges, according to Pennsylvania state law. In the commonwealth, a conviction for speeding through an active work zone results in a summary offense and a fine of $35, though that fine may increase the more a driver speeds above the legal limit. Additionally, drivers caught exceeding the speed limit by 11 mph in a work zone or more will lose their license for 15 days.
Those who don’t pay a fine issued by the WZSSC system within 90 days of receiving the original notice may have their case turned over to a credit collections agency for payment, the program says.
Under Pennsylvania law, drivers receive a 15-day warning period after receiving their first speeding violation. After that period expires, they could receive multiple violations within a single day.
What happens if you speed through a work zone that appears inactive?
According to the PennDOT, WZSSC enforcement applies only when work zones have workers present. However, even if you cannot see workers while driving, you may be subject to enforcement.
“Workers operating behind barriers are also considered to be active within the work zone,” the WZSSC program’s website says. “In some situations, workers may not be visible to passing drivers due to their location and nature of work being performed.”
The “Active Work Zone When Flashing” signs scattered throughout Pennsylvania are not affiliated with the WZSSC program and are not required for enforcement to occur. Instead, the WZSSC program requires two “Active Speed Limit Photo Enforced” advanced warning signs as drivers enter the work zone. “Active Work Zone When Flashing” signs indicate an active work zone as required by law for criminal violations, which are issued only when law enforcement pulls a vehicle over.
Additionally, under Pennsylvania law, drivers are required to turn their headlights on while driving through a posted work zone, even if the work zone is not active.
Staying safe in Pennsylvania work zones
PennDOT offers the following tips for drivers moving through work zones on commonwealth highways:
- Drive the posted work zone speed limit.
- Stay alert and pay close attention to signs and flaggers.
- Turn on your headlights when instructed.
- Maintain a safe distance around vehicles and avoid tailgating.
- Use four-way flashers when stopped or traveling slowly.
- Avoid distractions and pay full attention to the road.
- Always buckle your seat belt.
- Expect the unexpected.
- Be patient.
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