Road construction season has started in Kentucky, and a new law is giving road workers a new layer of protection.

House Bill 664, also known as the Gerald Lee Helton Act, was sponsored by State Representative John Blanton and named in honor of a magoffin County man who was killed while working in a highway construction zone in Tennessee.

Under the law.

Automated speed enforcement technology can be used in work zones.

A police officer station near a work zone can issue a ticket based on images from the speed enforcement device to a driver going ten miles per hour over the speed limit.

Drivers exceeding the speed limit will be fined $500 and required to attend traffic school.

The fine could go up to $10,000 if they injure or kill someone.

All fines collected will be used to pay for officers and highway work zones.

Gerald Blase, Hilton's mother, says losing your life, doing your job is just too high a price to pay.

After her son lost his, she began working to try and prevent more work zone deaths.

A quiet person, but a jokester in the same way.

He was like the kind hearted person you could meet, had a several several friends.

When he died, he was 22 years old.

He put a lights down in the highway.

Those reflectors.

And that's what he did.

Road construction.

They go miles and miles and put reflectors in the highway.

And he loved that job.

He did the absolute because he got to travel.

He had a coworker on the same truck with him.

His name was Justin Stafford.

They were putting the reflectors down and they were in a right towards I-40.

Memphis, Tennessee.

Arlington area, and a 18 Wheeler had come to the top of the hill for Jarrett's boss.

He had told him, you know, you need to move over.

We're down to one lane.

Move over, slow down.

But the next thing you know, he just come in through that work zone at high excessive speed and he crashed right in to the crash truck.

And then they hit the state trooper and demolished that car.

And then he hit Justin and Jarrett in their little truck and killed both of them.

Probably a month after Jarrett was killed.

The Lord put it on my heart that I wanted to make something good come out of what was such a tragic situation.

You should not go to work and be killed.

That's just so unfair.

And I didn't want anyone to get that dreadful phone call like we did.

Because, like I've always said that somebody, a family member, could be a husband, a wife, a child, but it's your family.

And that's seemed so unfair to me.

We went down and met with Senator Stiver and discussed the situation and what happened, and I told him, I want to make a change, make a difference, because I don't want people to have to go through this like we did.

So and within a few, probably a month, Representative John Blanton called me and he said, I want to help you.

I said, okay, I'm I was elated.

I said, you can be my voice for.

A few years ago, a young man from Magoffin County by the name of Jerry Lee Helton grew up with my younger daughter was working in and work zone when he was hit and killed and lost his life.

And two young of age.

And since that time, I've set out, after speaking with his parents, to find a way that we can improve the safety in our work zones so that another family doesn't have to experience what Jared's family went through.

I've been working on this now for 4 or 5 years, I think.

Mr. speaker, we finally reached something that people are going to like, that people is going to, be supportive of and that will provide safety in our work zones, but will also provide the protection that people are looking for.

I myself considered a miracle that had happened within five years.

And especially, he said, getting a law in somebodys name in their honor.

Very few people get that he would be.

He would be so happy.

But he'd be like, I can't believe you done this, ma'am.

You know.

But he he would be proud because what else could a mother do for her child?

You know, it's the last possible thing I could do for it.

I had set several goals, but this was the last one.

And it.

It happened.

And I'm elated.

I'm so thankful.

Who would have thought a little country boy for Magoffin County can make such a great difference?

Yeah, it's sad he had to die for it.

But, you know, we took something and made good something ugly and turned it into good.

Hopefully this will make a great impact and save lives.

And I pray oil.

Lonzo Helton says Jared's legacy also lives on through a scholarship the family established in his name.