Highway work zones were the focus of SGI’s Traffic Safety Spotlight for July. The results reporting that 138 drivers are going to be having a more expensive summer than they initially thought.

“Speeding tickets in work zones, when they're occupied by workers, or equipment, they're more expensive tickets,” said SGI’s Media Relations Manager, Tyler McMurchy. “Being clocked at 40 km/H over the limit will cost you $1,008 and four demerits.”

He said it's a really good idea to remember, ‘when you see orange, slow down.’

Here’s the breakdown: 104 tickets were issued for exceeding 60 km/h when passing highway workers or occupied highway equipment within a work zone, and 32 tickets were issued for speeding when passing a highway worker or flag person. One ticket was issued for speeding when passing occupied highway equipment, and another for speeding when passing highway equipment with warning lights in operation. Police also reported one ticket to a driver for failing to obey the direction of a flag person or peace officer.

McMurchy shared how to avoid a ticket.

“Obey those posted speed limit signs, obey commends from flag-persons as well, and always give the road your full attention,” he said. “Don't be on your phone or fiddling with anything else in your car as you're traveling through that work zone. You want to keep a safe following distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Make sure your speed is reduced and you're prepared for anything unexpected.”

He said while we still have a few weeks left to enjoy summer, construction on highways is still in full swing, with many active work zones throughout the province.

“If anybody out there is planning a late-August, early September road trip, they'll definitely want to check the Highway Hotline web site to see if they'll be encountering any work zones along the way,” he recommended.

Law enforcement also reported the following results in July 7,597 aggressive driving or speeding offences, 1,039 distracted driving offences (including 920 for cellphone use while driving), 576 inappropriate or no seatbelt/child restraint offences, and 292 impaired driving offences (including 246 Criminal Code charges).

Law enforcement continue to focus on impaired driving in August.