Stiffer speeding fines in highway work zones

By Staff
Jan. 19, 2003
A Senate committee last week cleared a bill that would double fines for motorists caught speeding in highway work zones. The need for this is apparent.
Officials with the Mississippi Department of Transportation have complained that highway crews work in almost constant danger because motorists often ignore reduced speed limits in construction zones.
Last summer, multi-vehicle pileups in construction zones along Interstate 20/59 in Meridian proved very costly in terms of injuries and death. The Federal Highway Administration said that more than 4,000 people were killed nationwide in highway work zone crashes in the past six years. The most common crashes in work zones are rear-end collisions.
Other states, such as neighboring Alabama, already double fines for speeding in highway work zones and the law is aggressively enforced.
In 1997, Mississippi lawmakers set a penalty of $250 for speeding through work zones. The new bill would provide for penalties double those contained in Mississippi's general misdemeanor statute.
That means the penalty could be $200 and 20 days in jail on a first offense; $400 and 40 days in jail on a second offense; and $1,000 and a year in jail on three or more offenses.
The bill would apply to highway work zones on any public highway, road or street. It also would require MDOT to post signs warning motorists of the doubled penalties.
We agree with transportation department officials that this move would be beneficial in encouraging the motoring public to slow down. Stiffer penalties and very aggressive enforcement should help do the job and we hope the Legislature clears this important bill as soon as possible.
The bill is Senate Bill 2030. For a copy of the proposal, visit the Mississippi Legislature's Bill Status Web site at http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us.