State officials focus on holiday traffic safety
Law enforcement agencies and state transportation officials are looking to cut down on accident fatalities between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
The statewide effort involving PennDOT, state police and 350 local agencies is aimed at curbing vehicle crashes and traffic deaths during the holiday season – when more motorists are on the road – by ramping up driver education and traffic enforcement.
“Around the holidays, because the traffic is at such an increase, you see a spike in everything. You see a spike in crashes. You see a spike in our enforcement as far as radar, and our speed enforcement goes up,” said state police spokeswoman Trooper Stefani Lucas.
Lucas and PennDOT District 12 safety press officer Jay Ofsanik spoke to reporters Tuesday at the state police barracks in Belle Vernon about “Operation Safe Holiday,” a statewide effort that started in 2004 with a daylong checkpoint on the eve of Thanksgiving and was revamped in 2008 to become a comprehensive mobilization that targets impaired driving, aggressive driving and unbelted occupants, according to Ofsanik.
Of 91 statewide vehicle fatalities a year ago between Nov. 20 and Jan. 11, five occurred in District 12, which includes Washington, Greene, Fayette and Westmoreland counties. Three were in Washington and one each occurred in Fayette and Westmoreland counties, according to statistics Ofsanik provided.
“We have additional patrols out various times during the week, especially around the actual, specific holidays – times when we know that there’s going to be more people traveling than others,” Lucas said.
The initiative also includes education such as Tuesday’s event aimed at heightening awareness of traffic safety and enforcement during the holidays.
Lucas and Ofsanik highlighted the state’s “steer clear law” – passed in 2006 – which requires drivers to move to a far lane of traffic when they pass an accident, vehicle stop or disabled vehicle. Lucas said the law is aimed at protecting emergency responders.
“If you see them along the side of the road, it’s important to stay as far away from them as you can,” she said. “If you’re able to merge safely, do so. If not, use caution. Slow down. And just make sure that you’re keeping everybody safe.”