Utah Highway Patrol Has Worked Overtime To Stop Speeding On I-80's Construction Zone
If you have driven on Intertate-80 in Salt Lake County within the last year, you likely noticed how difficult it is to navigate through the dense construction zone. You may also have noticed that many commuters dangerously speed along this patch of the freeway. This reckless driving was resulting in severe Utah traffic accidents, causing the Utah Department of Transportation to pay nearly $10,000 a month in overtime to the Utah Highway Patrol to catch commuters speeding between State Street and 1300 East. This increased effort began in March 2008 and has resulted in 3,000 ticket citations. At the beginning of the crackdown, the state found that drivers were averaging 72 mph in the 55 mph work zone. The overtime has paid off, as the crash rate has dropped by nearly one of half.
Reckless driving is always dangerous and this especially the case in work zones. Traffic is more prone to sudden slow-downs, leaving speeders with less time to brake. Lange shifts and merging also necessitate cautious driving. Furthermore, constructions zones have workers completely exposed to traffic. Speeding dangerously through work zones not only endangers other commuters, but these men and women as well. The I-80 construction will be completed later this year. Until then, please remember to drive cautiously and within the posted 55 mph speed limit.
