The House Transportation Committee approved legislation on Tuesday that would require the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to establish a program to use speed cameras for semi-automated speed enforcement in highway work zones.
House Bill 64 is sponsored by Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville explained its purpose to the panel.
“Each year, hundreds of highway work zone workers are injured or killed by speeding drivers,” Blanton said. “HB 664 seeks to improve highway work zone safety by deploying automated speed enforcement devices to discourage speeding and help prevent injuries and fatalities.”
Under this measure, a peace officer may issue a citation in a highway work zone at the time of an offense based on images transmitted by an automated speed enforcement device if a motor vehicle is detected traveling more than 10 mph over the posted speed limit, at least one bona fide worker is present in the highway work zone, and a certified peace officer is stationed in or near the end of the work zone in a marked vehicle.
The Transportation Cabinet would be required to install signage in highway work zones to notify drivers that vehicle speed within the work zone may be enforced by an automated speed enforcement device, which must have flashing lights when active. Additionally, an image transmitted by an automated speed enforcement device would be prohibited from being disclosed to anyone other than the driver of the vehicle.
If a violation occurs in a highway work zone, the fine would be $500 if no person is physically injured or dies as a result. Drivers who commit this violation may choose to attend a state traffic school or a county attorney-operated traffic safety program to have the fine waived. However, if the violation results in physical injury or death of any person, the fine would range from $500 to $10,000.
All fines collected in a highway work zone would be deposited into the Transportation Cabinet’s highway work zone safety fund and used exclusively by the Transportation Cabinet to hire or pay for enhanced law enforcement of traffic laws within highway work zones.
“Several states have implemented automated speed enforcement devices in highway work zones, leading to a decrease in work zone crashes,” Blanton noted.
The bill now heads to the House floor.
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
