Pa. (WETM) – PennDOT, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission are encouraging safe and responsible driving on “Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day” after seeing an increase in traffic fatalities this year.
October 10 is “Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day”, a national campaign that encourages all road users to drive safe and responsibly to help prevent traffic fatalities. This year, Pennsylvania has seen an increase in traffic fatalities, prompting state agencies to put an extra emphasis on the importance of driving safely.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s estimates, national traffic fatalities dropped in the first half of 2023 by approximately 3.3 percent in comparison to the same time frame in 2022. The estimates show that fatalities have decreased in 29 states, while 21 states, including Pennsylvania, have projected increases in fatalities.
The areas of concern for 2023 statewide crash data include fatalities in crashes involving impaired driving, speeding, lane departures, motorcyclists and drivers aged 75 and older. Additionally, this year’s fatalities in work zones, as well as with bicyclists, have exceeded last year’s total fatalities. Drivers are urged to help reduce these crashes and fatalities by following the speed limit, paying attention to the road and avoiding driving under the influence.
PennDOT has been focused on infrastructure improvements to reduce fatalities and serious injuries with the help of funding that was specifically invested to improve safety. These improvements include centerline, edge-line and shoulder rumble strips, curve warnings, cable median barriers and high friction surface treatment.
You can view crash data at crashinfo.PennDOT.gov. Crash data is submitted to PennDOT by police agencies and processed and reviewed for accuracy.
