New Bill Targets Speeding in Highway Work Zones to Prevent Road Worker and Driver Deaths

SACRAMENTO, CA — Highway workers build and maintain the roads we all depend on -- but they put their lives at risk to do it. Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) says California must act now to stop the needless deaths of road workers. His legislation, Assembly Bill 289, would bring automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras to active highway construction zones — a tool proven to slow drivers down and prevent deadly crashes which means the difference between life and death for the men and women working on our roads.

The danger is very real for road workers and for drivers. Despite warning signs, flashing lights and law enforcement patrols, drivers continue to speed through construction zones. In 2023, there were more than 100 vehicle intrusions into work sites on California highways — collisions that killed or seriously injured workers. In 2021, the state recorded 9,500 crashes in work zones, nearly 3,000 injuries and 73 deaths.

“These workers aren’t just names on a report,” Haney said. “They’re moms, dads, sons, daughters — people who never made it home from work. AB 289 is how we stop these tragedies before they happen.”

AB 289 would launch a statewide pilot program to use ASE cameras in active construction areas, aiming to slow drivers down and protect the people on the other side of the cones. In states like Maryland and Pennsylvania, the results have been dramatic — with speeding violations dropping by 80% and crashes by nearly 20%.

“After almost 30 years of working in traffic control, I have never seen people driving as fast or as recklessly as I do today, said Michael Sprouse, ATSSA California Chapter president. “We keep increasing the amount of signs, cones, and barricades - to seemingly no effect on driver behavior. On freeways, where the risk to everyone involved is the greatest, enforcing speed controls is the most effective way to ensure everyone goes home to their families at the end of the day.”

AB 289 is modeled after successful ASE pilot programs in Malibu and six other cities, with strong safeguards to ensure fairness, transparency, and privacy. The bill includes 80% fine reductions and $25/month payment plans for low-income drivers, bans facial recognition and driver photos, and limits data use.

AB 289 is backed by a growing coalition of construction workers, labor unions, transportation advocates, and public safety leaders who agree that enough is enough and that every life lost is one too many.

“Highway construction is dangerous work, and AB 289 offers a proven, commonsense solution to protect the men and women who build and maintain California’s critical infrastructure,” said Emily Cohen, Executive Vice President, United Contractors. “Contractors across the state are committed to championing smart, effective policies that prioritize safety for workers, drivers, and the public alike.”

The bill has passed out of three Assembly committees with bipartisan support and now heads to the Assembly floor.