(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll joined the Pennsylvania State Police and other transportation authorities to urge road safety among summer travelers.
Summer is the deadliest time of year to be on the road, and while safety features have improved, the state is urging Pennsylvanians to refrain from distracted and impaired driving.
Carroll emphasized utilizing ride shares or designated drivers around upcoming 4th of July celebrations. Last year, the holiday led to 269 crashes, 47 of which were alcohol-related and 13 of which were drug related. The day brought four deaths, and 216 injuries.
Sgt. Logan Brouse of the Pennsylvania State Police said that the organization responded to more than 20,000 crashes last summer.
“To reduce these numbers, the Pennsylvania State Police will conduct targeted enforcement efforts throughout the summer,” said Brouse. “This includes sobriety checkpoints and patrols as well as enforcement of aggressive and distracted driving.”
Safety advocates have worked to educate drivers that even for those with legal medical marijuana licenses, driving while high is both illegal and a major safety concern. The same applies to other prescription drugs like painkillers with psychoactive effects.
“It will be far cheaper and much safer,” said Carroll of appointing a designated driver.
Carroll also reminded drivers of the importance of using seat belts. The department’s data shows that 94% of crashes that led to the deaths of unbuckled drivers or passengers would have been survivable if seat belts were used, representing 277 lives annually.
To that end, Kelly Whitaker of the PA Traffic Injury Prevention Project, asked parents and caregivers to properly secure children, including for those vacationing with RVs. She recommended towable campers for those with young children in order to ensure they can use the proper safety measures in a standard car seat.
Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mark Compton asked drivers to be mindful of workers in ongoing construction sites, including those installing open road tolling and removing old structures.
Other summer concerns include the proliferation of cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists for which drivers need to be aware. Brouse reminded vehicle owners of the deadly risk of leaving children or pets in hot cars. In Pennsylvania, bystanders are allowed to break into a vehicle to save the life of children or animals in cars if they have made an effort to locate a driver and called 911.
