PSP, PennDOT urge safe driving ahead of Labor Day holiday
PHOTO COURTESY / PACAST - The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) joined the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and safety partners to urge motorists to celebrate responsibly ahead of the Labor Day holiday. Pictured here is a moment from a demonstration they held at their joint event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. August 30, 2023.
SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP, Dauphin County – State Police and PennDOT are urging motorists to “celebrate responsibly” ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend.
“Crashes involving impaired drivers are entirely preventable,” said PennDOT Executive Deputy Secretary Cheryl Moon-Sirianni. “If your end-of-summer celebration includes alcohol, plan ahead for a sober driver. Make plans with a friend or use public transportation or a ride-share service, but never drive impaired.”
According to PennDOT data, in 2022 there were 1,214 crashes resulting in 17 fatalities and 817 injuries statewide over the Labor Day holiday weekend (Friday, September 2 through Monday, September 5. Of those, 114 crashes resulting in six fatalities and 90 injuries were alcohol-related and 27 crashes resulting in two fatalities and 20 injuries were drug-related.
Over this holiday period, PSP and local municipal agencies will conduct impaired driving enforcement details as part of the National Crackdown on Impaired Driving enforcement and education campaign running through September 4. This effort is funded through PennDOT’s statewide annual distribution of approximately $6 million from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for impaired driving enforcement.
The goal of targeted enforcement is to reduce the number of impaired driving-related crashes, injuries, and deaths on roadways throughout the state.
“DUI enforcement is about saving lives,” said PSP Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris. “We want everyone to enjoy this holiday weekend, so please be safe and responsible.”
“Lives can be changed or gone in an instant because someone used poor judgement and got behind the wheel while impaired,” said Penn State Health Life Lion Operations Coordinator Joe DePatto. “These crashes and their results are heartbreaking every time, because they are completely preventable.”
During the 2022 Labor Day holiday enforcement period, PSP troopers made 515 DUI arrests and investigated 45 alcohol-related crashes, four of which were fatal.
Impaired driving enforcement goes beyond checking for alcohol impairment. Law enforcement also work to identify motorists impaired by illegal drugs and prescription medication or some combination of these. Pennsylvania has approximately 250 Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) or specially trained officers who look for impaired drivers and assist in DUI investigations when drug-impaired driving is suspected.
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