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LANSING – The Michigan House of Representatives unanimously passed House Bills 4468 and 4469 Tuesday, which will extend penalties for all accidents occurring in a construction zone, regardless of whether a construction worker is involved.

"In 2005, four drivers died in construction-related crashes along a 10-mile stretch of I-94 between Jackson and Ann Arbor," said State Representative Pam Byrnes (D-Lyndon Township), a bill sponsor. "Aggressive driving is an increasingly dangerous reality on Michigan highways, and we need more tools to stop it."

On April 8, 2004, Christy Gutekunst was on her way to her job as a librarian at the Chelsea District Library. She stopped with traffic in a construction zone on I-94 near Jackson. A driver smashed into her car, and Christy became one of the more than 1,000 people killed each year in the nation's highway work zones.

The bills, sponsored by Byrnes and State Representative Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga), were introduced after Gutekunst's best friend, Sara Jean Nelson, lobbied the House to pass laws that would crack down on those who drive recklessly in work zones. Nelson was at the Capitol last week testifying before the Transportation Committee on behalf of the bills.

"Everyone in a work zone deserves the same protection under the law, whether they are a motorist or a construction worker," Byrum said. "And anyone who drives recklessly in a work zone and kills or injures someone deserves to be punished accordingly. These bills will allow us to expand awareness of this important safety issue, while giving us the ability to fully prosecute those who recklessly break the law."

   According to court testimony, the driver of the truck that hit Gutekunst had the cruise control set at 68 mph and failed to slow for the approaching work zone. The driver was convicted of negligent homicide and received a six-month jail sentence.

"There are stiff penalties in place for those who injure or kill construction workers in work zones," Byrnes said. "If Christy had been a construction worker, the man who killed her could have received up to 15 years in prison and a $7,500 fine. Our bills broaden the laws

to apply to anyone driving recklessly who injures or kills another person in a construction zone."

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, there were 6,323 work zone crashes, 1,751 injuries and 22 fatalities in 2004 – twice s many deaths as the prior year.