Saturday’s icy road conditions, which may have contributed to car accidents on I-79, Bigelow Boulevard, Route 28 and other area roadways, were an unnerving reminder that more auto crashes occur during the holidays than any other time of year.
During last year’s Thanksgiving travel period, from the weekend before Thanksgiving to the weekend after, a total of 4,683 crashes and 48 fatalities occurred statewide.
“Vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death, with most fatalities being attributed to unbelted motorists,” said State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan.
In an attempt to reduce the number of crashes and resulting fatalities this year, Pennsylvania State Police, PennDOT and local law enforcement are collaborating on “Operation Safe Holiday,” which means they’ll be cracking down on impaired drivers and people not wearing seatbelts.
“Drivers are going to see stepped up enforcement,” said State Trooper Adam Reed. “They’re going to see extra officers out on the streets, patrolling interstates, cities and towns.”
Reed encourages people to choose a designated driver when celebrating this holiday season and to always buckle up.
Statewide Click It or Ticket seatbelt enforcement began Friday and runs through Dec. 1. Sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols are planned for Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 26, and from Dec. 1 through Jan. 1.
