Penalties for Violating a Work Zone Speed Limit
Because fines for speeding in work zones throughout New York are doubled, you can face a fine between $90 and $600 if you don’t successfully fight your ticket. Keep in mind that a surcharge of $88 or $93 (depending upon whether the violation occurred in a city or town/village) is assessed in addition to your fine.
Here’s the potential cost of speeding in a work zone:
- 1 to 10 mph over limit: $178 to $393
- 11 to 20 mph over limit: $268 - $693
- 21 to 30 mph over limit: $568 - $993
- 31 to 40 mph over limit: $898 - $1,743
- 41 mph over limit or faster: $1,123 - $1,968
Drives who violate work zone speed limits can also incur points against their driving records:
- 1 to 10 mph over limit: 3 points
- 11 to 20 mph over limit: 4 points
- 21 to 30 mph over limit: 6 points
- 31 to 40 mph over limit: 8 points
- 41 mph over limit or faster: 11 points
Accruing at least 11 points within an 18-month period can cause a license suspension, which means even a minor work zone speed limit violation can put your driving privileges at risk.
What Is Considered a Work Zone in New York?
A work zone may also be called a “work area” or a “construction zone.” This is typically a segment of a street, road, or highway in which workers and/or vehicles are conducting construction tasks. In most cases, orange signage is deployed to advise drivers of the beginning and end of the work zone area.
How Fast Can I Drive Through a Work Zone?
You can only drive as fast as the posted speed limit for the work zone permits. Upon entering the construction zone, there should be orange signage indicating the presence of the work zone and its speed limit.
This speed limit is established by the agency with jurisdiction over the street or highway affected by construction. The minimum speed for work zones is 25 mph, and agencies can only make them as fast as 20 mph slower than the normally posted speed limit.
For example, a work zone in an area with a normally posted speed limit of 55 mph can have a reduced speed limit set anywhere between 25 mph and 35 mph.
What If No One Is at the Work Zone?
A work zone speed limit is in effect whether or not people are actively at the construction site.
The work zone speed limit’s purpose is to protect both construction workers and passing motorists. Work zones may have hazards such as concrete barriers, equipment, and reduced lanes that simply make it unsafe for motorists to drive at the normally posted speed limit.
Get Legal Assistance Today!
It’s your right to defend yourself in traffic court when you believe you were erroneously issued a citation. Fighting your work zone speeding ticket or any other traffic ticket can be essential to avoiding steep fines and a license suspension.
Our attorney at Stites Law can help! Contact us today by calling (212) 729-0472 now to learn more.
