INDIANAPOLIS– Drivers will soon receive penalties for speeding in construction zones as part of Safe Zones, Indiana’s worksite speed control pilot program. Enforcement will begin on or after Monday, May 5, in the Clear Path I-465/I-69 construction zone on the northeast side of Indianapolis.
A pre-enforcement warning period began at this location in early 2025. Since that time, 90,000 courtesy notices have been sent.
“It’s crucial for drivers to slow down in work zones,” said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist. “Speeding in work zones puts construction crews, drivers, and their passengers at risk of injury or even death. Driver behavior, such as speeding, is a recurring factor in work zone crashes and incidents. The Safe Zones program is another tool at our disposal to make work zones safer for everyone.”
The Indiana General Assembly authorized Safe Zones during the 2023 legislative session through House Enrolled Act 1015. By statute, INDOT may deploy Safe Zones at up to four sites at any given time. Clear Path on the northeast side of Indianapolis is currently the only active site. Additional sites, to be announced later, will begin with immediate enforcement. The program aims to protect the lives of motorists and road workers by slowing drivers down and reducing crashes in work zones.
“We want to keep drivers safe on the road, the same as we want to keep road crews safe in work zones,” said Secretary of Transportation and Infrastructure Matt Ubelhor. “We urge drivers to not only slow down, but also wear their seatbelts, and avoid distractions — lives depend on it.”
Drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the posted speed limit in specified work zones will receive a violation notice via mail. Penalties will be assessed as follows:
- Second violation: $75 civil fine
- First violation: zero-fine warning
- Third and subsequent violations: $150 civil fine
How Safe Zones Work
The system documents vehicle speeds using truck-mounted speed timing devices as they pass through work zones. When a vehicle is traveling 11 mph or more than the posted speed limit, the system captures an image of the vehicle’s rear license plate. After the data is validated, violations are certified and mailed to the vehicle owner. By state statute, collected fines go into the state’s General Fund.
Signs are posted to notify drivers entering and exiting active work sites that an automated system is monitoring their speeds. Workers must be present at the time of an event for a violation to be valid. Click here for a short video about the program.
Work Zone Safety
Over the past decade, 269 people have been killed in crashes in highway worksites or worksite backups in Indiana. In 2024 alone, 30 people were killed and more than 1,500 were injured in work zones in Indiana. The majority of people injured or killed in work zones are drivers or their passengers.
Similar programs in other states have significantly improved work zone safety. Two years after Maryland launched its program, speeding violations at construction sites decreased by more than 80%, and the incidence of worksite-related crashes, fatalities, and injuries was at its lowest level in over 10 years. In the first year that Pennsylvania began continuously enforcing its program, it saw a drop of more than 19% in worksite crashes. The first four months of INDOT’s pre-enforcement warning period (courtesy notices only) show a more than 70% decrease in excessive speeding.
INDOT will share annual reports with members of the Indiana General Assembly and the traveling public throughout the five-year pilot program. To learn more about Indiana Safe Zones, including active locations and answers to frequently asked questions, visit SafeZonesIN.com.
