Police targeting aggressive drivers
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that more than 80 municipal police departments from Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties will join the Pennsylvania State Police in a coordinated aggressive driving enforcement wave to help reduce the number of crashes, injuries, and fatalities on area roadways as part of a statewide mobilization that runs through April 24.
The enforcement wave will focus on distracted driving, speeding, and work zone awareness. Motorists exhibiting other unsafe behaviors such as driving too fast for conditions, following too closely, or other aggressive actions will also be cited.
Law enforcement will use traffic enforcement zones, saturation patrols, speed enforcement details, corridor enforcement, work zone enforcement, and multi-jurisdictional patrol strategies to identify and cite aggressive drivers.
The enforcement is part of Pennsylvania’s Highway Safety Program and is funded by part of PennDOT’s investment of federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
If you encounter an aggressive driver, PennDOT offers these tips:
- Get out of their way and don’t challenge them;
- Stay relaxed, avoid eye contact, and ignore rude gestures;
- Don’t block the passing lane if you are driving slower than most of the traffic;
- Do not attempt to follow or pursue the vehicle. You or a passenger may call the police. But, if you use a cell phone, pull over to a safe location.
In 2020, there were 983 aggressive driving crashes, resulting in 49 fatalities in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. Aggressive driving crashes are crashes involving at least two aggressive driving factors in the same crash. Factors include, but are not limited to, running stop signs or red lights, tailgating, careless turning or passing, and driving too fast for conditions.
The goal of targeted enforcement is to reduce the number of aggressive driving-related crashes, injuries, and deaths on roadways throughout the state. Any aggressive driver stopped by police will receive a ticket.
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