Commander urges drivers to slow in construction zones, cites Illinois work-zone penalties
Loading...
Summary
At the March 16 Waukegan Public Safety Committee meeting, Commander Adriana Cansino outlined Illinois construction-zone rules and penalties, cited statewide crash data and urged drivers to slow, obey signage and merge early to reduce injuries and fatalities.
Commander Adriana Cansino told the Waukegan Public Safety Committee on March 16 that driver behavior is the primary factor in construction-zone crashes and urged motorists to follow posted limits and traffic-control devices.
"Driver behavior is the biggest factor in these crashes," Cansino said during a presentation on construction-season traffic safety, explaining that construction zones are temporary hazards and that motorists must adjust their driving to protect workers and fellow road users.
Cansino cited Illinois statute 625 ILCS 5/11-605.1 as the governing law for construction and maintenance speed zones and summarized the enhanced penalties it allows. She described minimum fines she said are typically assessed as $250 for a first offense and $750 for a second offense, and said that more extreme speeding can lead to misdemeanor charges; judges may also impose license suspensions, court costs or jail time.
The commander presented statewide figures she said illustrate the stakes: "Over 6,000 work zone crashes occur annually in Illinois," she said, adding that those incidents produce more than 1,600 injuries and about 30 fatalities each year. She noted most fatalities involve motorists or passengers rather than construction workers.
Cansino listed common contributing factors—speeding, distracted driving (including cell-phone use), following too closely, sudden lane changes and failure to obey traffic-control devices—and recommended concrete steps drivers can take: reduce speed, increase following distance, avoid distractions, obey flaggers and signage and merge early when lanes are closed.
During a question-and-answer exchange, the committee (recorded on the transcript as the clerk asking) asked whether the Secretary of State could revoke licenses after repeated infractions. Cansino replied that the Secretary of State (SOS) can suspend or revoke driving privileges depending on the number and severity of infractions, reiterating that penalties can include suspension, court costs and possible jail time.
No formal votes or new enforcement actions were recorded on the topic at the meeting. The committee proceeded to the next agenda item after brief discussion.
Reported: March 16, 2026. Meeting: Waukegan Public Safety Committee. Speaker: Commander Adriana Cansino.
