One of the most unfortunate parts of construction – if not THE most unfortunate – is the effect it has on traffic. Sometimes it comes in the form of a detour, other times an adjusted speed zone.

Those speed zones can really get you; I've hit more than a few on I-80 and I-88, bringing me down from 70 mph to 45 mph. It can be tempting to push your luck, and that's exactly why police have created "Operation Hard Hat."

According to WQAD, troopers on the Illinois side of things plan to start going undercover, dressing up like construction workers as they patrol work zones. The plan started today, in tandem with Work-Zone Safety Week.

According to the report, these undercover troopers will be watching for speeders, distracted drivers and other violators in construction zones.

Moral of the story: keep a close eye out when driving through construction zones, and drive  extra carefully.

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