Tragedy Inspires Call For Jake's Law To Install Cameras In Work Zones

YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY — In a split-second, tragedy struck and now a grieving family and elected officials are calling on a new law aimed at preventing other families from enduring the same pain.

At a press conference on Saturday, at the Town of Yorktown Highway Department Facility, NYS Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Matt Slater called for the passage of Jake’s Law, legislation that will authorize the Town of Yorktown to deploy safety cameras in roadway work zones and impose monetary liability.

Jake’s Law is named after Jake Arcara, a 28-year-old Yorktown highway worker tragically killed by a car in Sept. 2022 while he was directing traffic as a work crew installed drainage pipes along a local roadway.

"This is not a party issue, this is a human being and safety issue," Yorktown Supervisor Ed Lachterman said. "I hope Albany can see that this is a law that needs to be passed, and I know we have great champions like Assemblyman Matt Slater, Senator Harckham, and Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg, who are working on getting this across the finish line."

SEE ALSO:

• Services Set For Yorktown Highway Employee Killed On The Job
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Road work zones are dangerous workplaces for those tasked with keeping our roadways safe and our infrastructure in working order. Officials say that too often, drivers disregard speed limits while passing through these areas, putting the lives and safety of road workers at risk.

While it is impossible to station a police officer in every work zone across the state, officials say cameras could go a long way toward changing this behavior.

Those efforts will come too late for a NY Thruway maintenance worker who was killed and another who was injured on May 9, in a work zone accident on I-90 near Rochester. Last month, a truck driver killed three highway maintenance workers on the shoulder of a Pennsylvania highway.

"We need this legislation, spurred by Jake Arcara’s senseless death while serving his community, passed and signed into law, so we can purposely work to save lives, both in Yorktown and statewide, in the future," Harckham said. "It’s crucial that we identify reckless and accident-prone drivers while we can, and also ensure there is accountability following accidents that result in grave injuries or deaths. I thank Assemblymember Slater for his leadership on this issue, and will always be grateful to Kelly Arcara for her courage and determination in turning pain to purpose."

In 2022, 891 people were killed and 37,701 were injured in work zone crashes in the U.S. In New York, seven highway workers were killed in roadside accidents in 2021 and another seven were killed in 2022. Governor Hochul unveiled a memorial honoring New York’s fallen highway workers at the 2021 New York State Fair. The NYSDOT, just in itself, has lost nearly 60 workers in its existence.

"We can’t have safe, smooth roads if we don't have safe work zones," Levenberg said. "Jake’s Law will make Yorktown’s work zones safer, enabling highway crews to show up to work with the confidence that they can do their jobs and get home to their families. As a former Town Supervisor, I know how critical these workers are to our communities, and this is one more way we can show our appreciation for all the essential work they do."

Kelly Arcara, Jake Arcara's mother, also the press conference.

"God took Jake as a purpose to pass this law. Jake was a very spiritual, beautiful person who loved his family, and this is something that should never have happened," Kelly Acara said. "I am thankful for our elected officials and our highway workers for their support in trying to get this law passed and throughout the loss of my son."