Effort to cut holiday traffic deaths gears up

Posted by Press Release on November 20, 2014

The holiday season continues to be the leading time period for traffic crashes, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

In an effort to reduce fatalities, PennDOT, state and municipal police, elected officials, Crozer-Keystone personnel, the Delaware County Transportation Management Association and SEPTA held a regional impaired and aggressive-driving event at Crozer-Chester Medical Center to kick off “Operation Safe Holiday,” a campaign encouraging safe driving through the holiday season.

Officials discussed the use of sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols, and regular traffic safety patrols to crack down on motorists who are driving aggressively or while impaired. State police and hundreds of municipal police departments statewide partner with PennDOT during “Operation Safe Holiday” to increase traffic safety enforcement from Thanksgiving through the New Year’s holiday.

In 2013, 4,683 crashes and 48 fatalities occurred statewide during the Thanksgiving travel period, which includes the weekends before and after the holiday. During the Christmas and New Year travel periods, there were a combined 3,222 crashes and 30 fatalities across Pennsylvania.

For more information on “Operation Safe Holiday” and impaired driving awareness visit justdrivepa.com or crozerkeystone.org/delcosupport.