How Indiana Is Winning the Fight Against Work Zone Speeding
Indiana’s Safe Zones pilot deployed Elovate’s mobile automated speed enforcement across four interstate construction zones — producing measurable speed reductions, protecting road workers, and setting a new standard for statewide work zone safety.
About
Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)
INDOT is responsible for constructing and maintaining interstate highways, U.S. routes and state roads in Indiana, including adjacent overpasses, ramps and traffic control devices, including signs and traffic signals, on these roadways.
- Location: United States
- Population: 6.9 million
- Highway system: over 29,000 lane miles
- Crash & Fatality Data: 8,000+ work zone crashes annually
- Enabling Legislation: HEA 1015, enacted July 2023
- Enforcement Program: Work zone speed enforcement
- Cameras: Mobile camera system powered by scanning LiDAR
- Duration: 5-year pilot (2023–2028)
Background
Indiana’s work zones had become among the most dangerous in the country. In 2023 alone, the state recorded over 8,000 work zone crashes, killing 33 people and injuring more than 1,750. Over the prior decade, 269 people had been killed in INDOT work zone crashes. Speed has consistently been identified as a primary contributing factor.
In response, the Indiana General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1015 in 2023, authorizing INDOT to develop and operate a five-year Worksite Speed Control System (WSCS) pilot program. Elovate was selected as program operator and system administrator to deploy mobile, truck-mounted automated speed enforcement units across active construction zones statewide.
Challenges
Work zone speeding in Indiana was widespread. Before enforcement began at the Clear Path I-465/I-69 project in Marion County, approximately 50% of measured traffic was travelling at excessive speeds through the work zone. Traditional enforcement posed unacceptable risks, too. Stationing officers within high-speed active zones puts both personnel and workers at risk.
- 8,000+ work zone crashes statewide in 2023, resulting in 33 fatalities
- 2022 saw a five-year high of 6,348 work zone collisions, with a fatal collision rate of 30.7 per 1,000 crashes
- Approximately 80% of work zone fatalities involve drivers or passengers — not highway workers
- Speed enforcement in active high-speed zones posed unacceptable risk to law enforcement personnel
- ~50% of traffic observed exceeding the limit at the Clear Path work zone before enforcement began
Solution
Elovate deployed vehicle-based Speed Safety Camera (SSC) units equipped with scanning LiDAR speed detection and image capture technology across four interstate work zones. Units were supported by advance warning signage placed up to 1.5 miles upstream, creating a compliance corridor that encouraged drivers to slow well before reaching the enforcement zone itself.
The program operates on a graduated penalty structure designed to prioritize behavior change over revenue: a first violation results in a written warning with no fine, a second carries a $75 civil penalty, and subsequent violations carry $150. All revenue flows to the Indiana General Fund. Workers must be physically present in the zone for any violation to be valid.
Results
Speed reductions were measured across approximately 104 million passenger vehicle records and 3.3 million commercial truck records, analyzed by Purdue University researchers using connected vehicle data across 443 SSC deployment days between August 2024 and July 2025.
reduction in passenger vehicles exceeding the work zone limit by 11+ mph on weekdays 6AM–6PM
reduction in commercial trucks exceeding the work zone limit by 11+ mph on weekdays 6AM–6PM
of vehicles exceeding the limit at the exact camera location — down from 64.8% at the first warning sign 1.5 miles upstream
work zone fatalities recorded at camera-active sites since program launch
Speed reductions were also observed during overnight hours when no enforcement was active, indicating lasting behavioral impact beyond active deployment windows.
Deployment Timeline
We’ve seen around a 70% reduction in excessive speeds within our current deployment sites. Creating safer conditions for both drivers and road workers is our goal, and lower speeds are a huge factor in that effort.
Ready to protect your work zones?
See how Elovate’s automated enforcement solutions can reduce speeding and save lives at your construction sites.