State police troopers will be trading in their cruisers for construction vehicles this week looking for unsafe driving such as speeding and distracted driving across the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

“Operation Orange Squeeze” is a work-zone safety initiative the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission started nearly a decade ago in conjunction with state police to help make the safety of their construction workers and turnpike work crews a top priority. Troopers from Troop T trade in their police cruisers and monitor work zones from construction vehicles to catch motorists ignoring work zone speed limits.

Last year saw eight reported work zone intrusions in turnpike work zones, resulting in two injuries. Since 1940, 45 turnpike workers have been killed on duty.

In April, the first Operation Orange Squeeze conducted on the turnpike since before the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in troopers issuing 436 citations, 395 warnings and two DUI arrests.

Motorists caught driving 11 mph or more above the posted speed limit in an active work zone, or who are involved in a crash in an active work zone and are convicted of failing to drive at a safe speed, automatically lose their license for 15 days.

Additionally, fines for certain traffic violations such as speeding, driving under the influence, and failure to obey traffic devices are doubled for active work zones.

The law also provides for up to five years of additional jail time for those convicted of homicide by vehicle for a crash that occurred in an active work zone.