The New Jersey Senate has passed legislation sponsored by Senator Latham Tiver aimed at increasing criminal penalties for drivers who cause fatal accidents in work zones.
The bill, known as S-4758, was introduced following the death of Allen Adams, a construction worker who was killed by an alleged drunk driver while working on Route 9 in Toms River. Under current law, reckless vehicular homicide is typically classified as a second-degree crime, with penalties ranging from five to ten years in prison. However, if such incidents occur near school zones or involve drivers with revoked licenses, charges can be raised to a first-degree crime, carrying sentences of ten to twenty years.
Senator Tiver’s proposal would expand these stricter penalties to include cases where fatal accidents happen within highway construction areas or designated safe corridors.
“What happened to Mr. Adams was a highly avoidable tragedy committed by a selfish person who ignored not only our laws but work zone safety warnings. Mr. Adams was a skilled worker doing his job to support a family who will never get to see him again. He, along with every construction worker in our state, deserves to be safe while on the clock, repairing our infrastructure,” said Sen. Tiver.
“Work zone warnings exist for a reason. They are meant to alert motorists of the men and women who are busting their asses on the side of the road, repairing and enhancing our infrastructure. It is an inherently dangerous job, and drivers need to respect that. The alleged drunk driver in this instance showed that he did not value human life when he disregarded those warnings. People who disregard the life of others, causing this level of tragedy, deserve to be locked behind bars for a long time,” Sen. Tiver continued.
The full text of the bill is available online.
