KENNEWICK, Wash.
From 2021 to 2022 fatal and serious injuries in work zones in Washington went up about 20% according to data from the Washington Department of Transportation.
The increase in injuries comes at a time when incidents are down. In the hopes that new legislation could reduce both numbers, WSDOT supported recent legislation signed into law at the beginning of April that will put speed cameras in work zones starting next year.
“Drivers are speeding through our work zones and the posted speed limit is 55 or 40 and they’re going 60 or 70 there will be a camera that will take a photo of their license plate and actually mail them a speeding ticket,” Lott said.
She said a majority of those injuries are often to people not even working in the work zone.
“95% of these collisions that we’re seeing in our work zones isn’t necessarily our workers being hit but it’s either the driver, their passenger or nearby pedestrians,” Lott, said.
She also said nationally, there’s a collision in a work zone about every five minutes with the highest percentage of deadly crashes coming from speeding.
“These aren’t easy numbers to look at because, again, we don’t want people getting hurt or even dying so this is serious stuff that we’re talking about so again it’s critical for drivers to be paying attention slowing down and just making sure that they’re aware of their surroundings,” said Lott.