CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) – A construction zone fatality on Interstate 74 on Wednesday in Champaign County reminds drivers to use extra caution in work zones as the summer construction season is now fully underway.
“There is a 40% increase [in the] risk of crashes when there is a work zone present,” said Juan Pava of IDOT. “Speeding is one of the primary causes of crashes in work zones.”
In 2023, the National Safety Council reported there were 898 people killed and more than 40,000 injured in work zone crashes.
“The majority of fatalities in work zones are actually road users, not the workers,” Pava stated.
Illinois fines first-time offenders a minimum of $250 for speeding in a work zone.
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