Ghost Trucks and Traffic Violations

Police managed to issue 43 tickets in around three hours in early June after they had one of their troopers trolling for individuals on I-70 and I-465. According to police, the traffic stops occurred after an Indiana mother and her twin 18-month-old daughters were killed by a reckless driver near construction traffic. The police set out to keep a watchful eye over the stretch of highway where the accident occurred. They found people who were speeding, cutting off tractor-trailers, making unsafe lane changes, and following too closely behind other vehicles. 

In other words, the police used the truck to set up a speed trap. 

Police Cracking Down on Construction Zone Accidents

Construction zones are often the site of some of the deadliest crashes. These crashes involve both commuters and freight carrier drivers who are not paying enough attention to the road or recklessly attempt to navigate a construction site. These accidents result in fatalities to the driver of the car, construction workers, and other drivers on the road. 

The aforementioned accident involved a 57-year-old driver who recklessly killed a young mother and her two infant daughters. The man is now being charged with three counts of reckless homicide. Now, the Indiana Department of Transportation is allocating more officers to construction zones to prevent deadly accidents like these from occurring elsewhere. They are teaming up with local police and raising public awareness of the consequences of reckless driving in construction zones. 

Work Zone Safety

The Indiana Department of Transportation issued a statement via their website stating that while they respect the cost in time related to traffic delays, the laws are in place to protect their highway and road workers as well as other motorists on the road. In 2018, they state that 14 people were killed and over 600 were injured in work zones. The most likely causes of these accidents included:

• Following too closely,
• Unsafe lane change,
• Right-of-way violations,
• And unsafe speed.

As you may be aware, the tickets are much more expensive for violating traffic laws in work zones because the danger is much higher there and failure can be deadly.

Just how seriously does Indiana take work zone safety? Indiana’s Work Zone Safety Act sets remarkably steep penalties for those who are caught violating traffic laws in a work zone. First-time citations are as high as $300, $500 for a second violation, and if you are caught three times in three years, the fine goes up to $1000. Those who drive aggressively or recklessly can face fines up to $5000 and those who injure or kill a road worker can be fined as much as $10,000 and face six years in prison. 

Talk to a Fort Wayne, IN Traffic Ticket Lawyer

If you are facing a serious traffic ticket that could result in license suspension, revocation, or exorbitant fines, The Robert Bellinger Law Office can help you get the ticket reduced or fight the ticket on its merits. Talk to us today for more information.