(The Center Square) – A new program in Pennsylvania will better educate young drivers about work zone safety, PennDOT said this week.
The department said during a State Innovation Council Meeting that it will spend $100,000 to develop a teen driver work zone safety course and improve road messaging signs.
“Innovation matters, innovation provides alternatives for PennDOT and practical uses currently being used right now,” PennDOT Secretary Michael Carroll said.
Much of the innovative focus has been on safety. Pulling from the STIC’s incentive program funding, $50,000 will go “for the development and implementation of a Pennsylvania-specific teen driver work zone safety course,” according to a council presentation.
“The training will help teens better understand common types of work zone crashes and which driving habits can be used to better prevent these incidents,” the presentation noted.
Distracted driving has been a growing issue on Pennsylvania roads, as The Center Square previously reported. PennDOT has aimed to reduce speeds in work zones in recent years, with a pilot program helping to reduce work zone fatalities while they have increased in work zones nationally.
STIC will also grant $50,000 to add 4G cell models or SIM cards onto portable message signs used in project work zones.
The update would allow signs to be changed remotely and integrated with PennDOT’s current management system.
