Change is just around the corner for Maryland drivers.
On New Year's Day, if you're caught speeding in a work zone it may cost you more, depending on how fast you're going and if workers are there, it's an even stiffer fine at double the cost.
"We do tend to see good compliance with speed limits when we do use automated speed enforcement in our work zones. We're hoping that this just brings more attention to it," Deputy Chief Operations Officer with the Maryland State Highway Administration Teri Soos said.
Maryland is one of 16 states that has automated speed enforcement, which began in 2009.
This new tiered system is the second wave of changes lawmakers passed in the wake of a deadly crash on I-695 where six construction workers died.
The first was in June when work zone fines increased from $40 to $80 under the Maryland Road Worker Protection Act.
RELATED: The 695 tragedy: one year later
"That was devastating and would never want to see that happening to anybody, ever, in any instance. Anything we can do to help protect that from happening again, we want to take those measures, and take them seriously," project manager for Fay S&B Greg Smedley said.
Smedley began working in construction in 2018. Since then, it's been an eye-opening experience working on the roads.
"I watched a motorcycle try to avoid the traffic and ended up rear-ending a vehicle and they went over the handlebars. They were not severely injured, that experience in it of itself was a scary one," he recalled. "The workers feel like they're working out on a racetrack, looking over their shoulder, checking behind them, hoping that the noises and sounds and horns they're hearing don't mean injury to them."
From 2019 through 2023 there were 7,110 crashes in Maryland work zones, killing 45 and injuring 2,587, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.
Many of the victims were workers but also included drivers and passengers too.
"We don't want to see people have violations, we want people to be safe," Soos said.
Similar to current automated speed enforcement, the new law also requires signage and lighting to let drivers know when they are passing through a work zone, their current speed and now, if workers are present.
Soos also says this legislation allows for multiple cameras for more speed enforcement for longer stretches of road.
In 2024, the SHA issued 394,622 traffic tickets, an increase of more than 51,000 from 2023 where 343,466 tickets were issued.
