SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — It’s National Work Zone Awareness Week.
The Illinois Department of Transportation is asking drivers to be careful and pay attention as they enter road construction zones.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, road construction continues all over Illinois, according to I-DOT Spokesperson Maria Castaneda.
“We want to remind the traveling public, as always, that when they’re in a work zone, there are people out there working.”
Castaneda said drivers should reduce their speed and be prepared for back-ups near work zones.
“We want to make sure that they (motorists) are able to stop in time, so they don’t veer out in ways that they shouldn’t,” Castaneda said.
The fine for speeding in a work zone in Illinois starts at $250. If you hit a worker, you face a fine of up to $25,000 and jail time.
On average, over 5,100 crashes occur in Illinois work zones each year.