During Michigan's busy road construction season, motorists are required to reduce their speed to 45 miles per hour in any freeway work zone where workers are present, UNLESS a concrete barrier wall exists between the workers and the vehicles.
FACT: The majority of injuries and fatalities in work zones each year involve drivers and their passengers.
Motorists should remember to drive the appropriate speed and pay close attention in work zones.
Protect Michigan families: Where Workers Present Drive 45 - the life you save could be your own!
What Michigan's Tough Work Zone Laws Could Cost You
In Michigan, you now risk more than just a speeding ticket if you go too fast--you also face the following penalties:
- Doubled fines
- More points
- Increased insurance rates
- Jail and fines
Public Act 103, known as "Andy's Law" went into effect Oct. 1, 2001. The law creates penalties of up to one year in prison for injuring and up to 15 years in prison for killing a highway construction or maintenance worker. It also imposes a maximum penalty of $7,500. The law is named for Andrew Lefko, a 19-year-old who was left paralyzed after being hit while working on I-275 in Metro Detroit.
In 2003, Andy's Law was strengthened by the passage of Public Act 315. Now, work zones are marked with "Work Zone Begins" and "End Road Work" signs. "Begin Work Convoy" and "End Work Convoy" signs are used for mobile crews traveling along roads as workers paint lane lines or patch potholes. Speed limit signs are also required in work zones marked with "Work Zone Begins" signs.
P.A. 315 lowers the threshold at which driving offenses can trigger Andy's Law penalties. The law now includes penalties for driving offenses such as careless driving or speeding, which are considered civil offenses. The law also applies to criminal offenses such as reckless or drunken driving.
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