Premier Joins Road Builders to Promote Work Zone Safety

As the summer construction season heats up, Nova Scotians are reminded to watch their speed in road construction zones.

Premier Rodney MacDonald visited road builders on Highway 104 today, July 8, to promote work zone safety. He was joined by Murray Scott, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, Paul White, president of the Nova Scotia Road Builders Association and Gareth Drinnan, president of CUPE 1867, Nova Scotia Highway Workers Union.

"From Yarmouth to Sydney, hundreds of workers will be on the job this summer repairing or constructing roads," said Premier MacDonald. "Road crews work very hard to improve the safety and efficiency of our roads and drivers need to respect their work environment and slow down."

"Improving road safety is a key priority for the province," said Mr. Scott. "We are here today to remind all road users that speeding in work zones is a serious offence and will not be tolerated."

The province and the Nova Scotia Road Builders Association are launching a work zone safety campaign this month. Radio, television and print advertisements will remind drivers that there are people behind the signs. The signs are there to protect highway workers and drivers are reminded to pay attention and lower speed when approaching or passing through highway work zones.

Legislative amendments that come into effect Thursday, July 10, target people who speed in work zones. Fines will be doubled and demerit points will be assigned to driver's records for speeding in work zones. The fines, including court costs, range from $337 for a first offence to $2,407 for a third offence.

"These new laws provide safer work zones for our members," said Mr. White. "They allow road workers to focus on the job at hand and lessen the worry about cars speeding through our work area."

"Once again, government is showing leadership in promoting health and safety in the workplace for all employees across the province who work on our highways," said Mr. Drinnan. "The Highway Workers Union is very supportive of this measure as it has been proven to be successful in other jurisdictions in reducing highway construction injuries."

The campaign ads can be seen on the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal website at www.gov.ns.ca/tran .

The work zone safety campaign is one of several provincial initiatives to improve road safety, including a ban on hand-held cellphones, legislation to combat street racing, and new graduated driver-licensing rules. The project also supports government's priority to keep communities safe.