While they acknowledged Indiana now has more work zones after lawmakers hiked fuel taxes and vehicle fees in 2017 to fund infrastructure projects, they also said motorists seem to be driving more recklessly due to speed and technological distractions.

"We want to get the work done, but we want to do it safely," said Dan Brown, ICI board chairman.

ICI leaders said Indiana should consider copying Pennsylvania's recently enacted speed camera law that photographs vehicles exceeding the speed limit in work zones by at least 11 miles per hour, and issues a warning for a first offense, imposes a $75 fine for a second violation and a $150 fine for subsequent offenses.

State Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Syracuse, said he likes the idea of only using speed camera enforcement when workers are present, since too often Indiana road construction zones cover a wide swath of highway where nothing is happening.

But state Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, pointed out there's just as much collision risk when workers are not present because many crashes stem from drivers failing to timely reduce speed when merging into a single lane or navigating temporary road alignments.

"If you just tie it to the workers that only solves part of the problem," Soliday said.