PennDOT, Safety Partners Stress Dangers of Aggressive Driving
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Ferguson Township Police, Department and Highway Safety Network held a media event today near the intersection of Blue Course Drive and West College Avenue where they stressed that aggressive driving behaviors are significant contributing factors to crashes and fatalities on our roadways. They explained that police conduct high visibility enforcement details each year to curb these behaviors and reduce the number of crashes on Pennsylvania roadways.
"It's about stopping crashes and saving lives," said Ryan Hendrick, Ferguson Township Police Sergeant. "Slowing down and increasing your following distance not only keeps you from being pulled over, but it also significantly reduces you chances of being injured or killed in a crash."
In addition to aggressive driving behaviors such as speeding and tailgating, Hendrick said law enforcement have been cracking down on violations of the state's Move Over Law during the current wave of aggressive driving enforcement. The wave started Monday, October 24, and continues through Sunday, November 13.
Hendrick explained the state's Move Over law requires drivers approaching an emergency response area who are unable to safely merge into a lane farther away from the response area that they must "pass the emergency response area at a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit and reasonable for safely passing." He explained an emergency response area is where an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing, or where road crews or emergency responders have lighted flares, posted signs, or try to warn travelers.
Hendrick noted that changes enacted to the law in 2021 included the creation of a new point system that imposes two points for failure to merge into the lane not next to the emergency response area. Changes also set fines at $500 for first-time offenders, $1,000 for a second offense, and $2,000 for a third or subsequent offense. Third or subsequent offenses also require a 90-day license suspension.
Josh Woods, Community Traffic Safety Project Coordinator with the Highway Safety Network, reminded drivers that the school bus stopping law requires them to stop at least 10 feet away from buses with their red lights flashing and stop arm extended. Motorists meeting or overtaking a stopped bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped must stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. If a physical barrier such as a grassy median, guide rail or concrete median separates oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.
Approximately 300 municipal police departments and the Pennsylvania State Police are participating in these enforcement efforts, and they are concentrating efforts on roadways known to have high numbers of aggressive driving crashes.
According to PennDOT 2021 data, aggressive driving behaviors were a contributing factor in 6,206 crashes. Those crashes resulted in 126 fatalities and 481 suspected serious injuries. In Centre County, aggressive driving behaviors were a contributing factor in 53 percent of crashes in 2021.
For more information on Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law or the Move Over Law, visit http://www.penndot.pa.gov/safety.