PennDOT, Safety Partners Address Impaired Driving and Seat Belt Use Ahead of Busy Holiday Travel Season

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Pennsylvania DUI Association, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the American Automobile Association (AAA) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) today held an event to remind motorists of the importance of buckling up and driving sober this holiday season.

The joint event was held at the PSP Troop E Headquarters in Erie in connection with the current "Click It or Ticket" mobilization that began on November 11, 2024, and runs through December 1, 2024, in addition to the upcoming holiday season impaired driving campaign from November 20, 2024, to January 1, 2025.

During this period, state and local law enforcement officials will be participating in high-visibility enforcement efforts such as roving patrols and sobriety checkpoints to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities involving impaired drivers and to promote seat belt safety.

AAA is expecting new records for travelers this Thanksgiving as it projects 79.9 million people will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period (November 26 to December 2). This year's projection is an increase of 1.7 million people compared to 2023 and 2 million more than in 2019.

"As the holiday season nears and you begin making your travel plans to visit loved ones, don't forget that millions of others around the country will be doing the same and it is everyone's responsibility to keep each other safe," said Maggie Nunley, a Regional Program Administrator with the Pennsylvania DUI Association. "Celebrate responsibility and never get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Don't let a poor decision like driving impaired lead to your holiday season ending in unnecessary tragedy."

Alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs can slow a driver's coordination, judgment, and reaction times, while cocaine and methamphetamine can make drivers more aggressive and reckless. Some prescription and over-the-counter medicines can cause extreme drowsiness, dizziness, and other side effects. Motorists should read and follow all warning labels and note any that warn against "operating heavy machinery," which includes driving a vehicle.

Between November 22, 2023, and January 2, 2024, there were 13,013 crashes across Pennsylvania, resulting in 7,225 injuries and 118 fatalities, according to PennDOT data.
Of these crashes, 1,421 were the result of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. These impaired driving crashes claimed the lives of 48 people and injured 885 others.

A driver's best defense against death or serious injury in the event of a crash is wearing their seat belt. Proper use the seat belt can reduce a driver's risk of fatal injury by 45% in the front seat of a passenger car and by 60% in a light-weight truck, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Of the passenger vehicle occupants who were killed in crashes nationwide in 2022, NTHTSA said 50% of them were unrestrained.

The national estimate of seat belt use across the country in 2023 was 91.9%, which NHTSA said was a record high and a slight increase from 91.6% in 2022.

"It is encouraging to see the vast majority of motorists wearing their seat belts but there is still approximately 8% of the population who leave themselves unprotected if they are involved in a crash," said PSP Troop E Community Services Officer Todd Bingman. "That is why we utilize the current seat belt mobilization not only to enforce the law, but to educate drivers on the lifesaving capabilities that seat belts have."

Air bags alone are not enough to protect drivers, as the force of an air bag can seriously injure or kill someone if they are not wearing their seat belt.

To properly buckle up, PennDOT offers the following tips:

• The lap belt and shoulder belt should be secured across the pelvis and rib cage to better withstand crash forces.

• The shoulder belt should be across the middle of the chest and away from the neck.

• The lap belt should rest across the hips, not the stomach.

• Never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under an arm.
  

More information on seat belt safety and impaired driving can be found at www.penndot.pa.gov/safety.

Join the conversation on social media by using the hashtags #BeSafePA, #BuckleUp, #PASafeHoliday, #DriveSober, and #ClickItOrTicket.

For more information on impaired driving or seat belt safety, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/Safety.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

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