Motorists continue to speed through roadwork zones at dangerous rates, prompting renewed calls for drivers to slow down and protect construction workers.
The state government has spent about $150,000 a year since 2016 on a safety campaign targeting speeding through roadworks.
But enforcement operations are still catching dozens of offenders in short periods.
“During March … in a 45-minute period, over 20 people were booked for speeding,” Infrastructure Minister Kerry Vincent said.
“The workers and the companies involved with roadside work quite often have to ring the police for them to come out and enforce [the speed limit] every now and again.”
“The signs on the side of the road are not there to irritate you, they’re there to let you know that road conditions are changed.”
Andrew Winch, CEO of the Civil Contractors Federation Tasmania, said driver behaviour remains the industry’s top concern.
“This is a campaign that actually saves lives,” he said. “It’s still the number one issue – safety for our workforce. We want people to go home safe to their families.”
Workers say they face daily abuse and dangerous conditions, with traffic controllers reporting constant verbal harassment from passing drivers.
A recent survey by the Traffic Management Association of Australia found 43% of traffic management workers nationwide had witnessed complete non-compliance with temporary speed limits.
The association’s Tasmanian chairperson Peter Dixon believes the figure could be even higher.
“Talking to the crews that work for us, I can attest that it’s probably close to 75%,” he said.
Workers have described feeling ‘very vulnerable’ and ‘terrified’ when vehicles roar past at 80 km/h in zones reduced to 40 km/h.
While Tasmania hasn’t recorded recent fatalities in roadwork zones, serious injuries are reported regularly interstate.
Earlier this month a Queensland road worker was hospitalised after being hit by a car that allegedly did not stop or help.
