One joke that we hear frequently in Minnesota is that our state only has two seasons – Winter and Construction Season. The snow is gone for the foreseeable future, which means we’re on to construction season here in Minnesota.
You’ll probably have a tough time speeding through work zones during rush hour due to lane closures, but if you’re traveling during non-peak hours, which coincidentally is when construction workers like to do the majority of their work, you may unknowingly zip through a construction zone and end up with a police cruiser in your rear view mirror. So today, we’re going to explain what happens when you get ticketed for speeding in a construction zone in Minnesota, and what you should do afterwards.
Construction Zone Tickets in Minnesota
Under Minnesota law, certain factors have to be present for you to be charged with speeding in a construction zone. Here are the three factors:
- You must be traveling over the posted speed limit.
- Construction signs signaling the work zone must be present.
- Workers must be present.
If all three of those factors are present, a person can be ticketed for speeding in a construction zone. And, under Minnesota law, the fine for speeding in a construction zone will be double the original fine amount. So if the original ticket was $189, you’ll face a fine of $378. Lastly, the state law says that any fine for speeding in a work zone will be a minimum of $300, so it’s going to be a costly mistake, and that’s assuming you’re only ticketed for speeding and not for other violations, like texting while driving or for striking a worker.
Minnesota Cracking Down On Speeding In Construction Zones
In an effort to cut down on accidents involving construction equipment or workers, Minnesota police have announced that they will be adding enhanced patrols this summer to keep an eye out for speeders or inattentive/unsafe drivers.
“They’re looking for a variety of things,” said Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Bob Zak. “Speeding [is] one, distraction, if they’re not wearing a seatbelt, if there’s other erratic driving patterns of behavior. Maybe a drunk or impaired in some other fashion.”
Even though Zak and his fellow policemen are trying to spread the word about the dangers of inattentive drivers or speeding in a construction zone, accidents are still happening. Six police cars parked in areas of road work have been hit in 2017 alone, said Zak.
Zak finished by saying that drivers need to be on the lookout for workers and slow down every time they see construction signs, because you may not see workers until it’s too late.
“When you’re driving through the construction zone it may be set one way today, tomorrow it may change, so it’s an active work zone. It’s not going to stay that way forever through completion, it’s going to be continually changing,” Zak said.
If you are ticketed for speeding in a work zone, you’ll benefit from seeking legal counsel. It’s not going to be easy to challenge the citation in court, but if you just plead guilty, you’ll face the fine from the ticket and increases in your insurance premiums. This can equate to thousands of dollars out of your pocket, so talk with a criminal defense attorney about all your options. Even getting the ticket slightly reduced or altered can save you a bunch of money, so ask Avery what he can do for you.
