Motorists Encouraged to use 511PA to Plan Ahead for Safe Travel

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are urging motorists to keep traffic safety top of mind when behind the wheel this holiday weekend, and all summer long. The agencies are partnering with municipal police departments and other safety partners across the commonwealth to participate in the National “Click It or Ticket” (CIOT) Enforcement Mobilization running now through June 2.

“‘Click it or Ticket’ isn’t about citations, it’s about saving lives,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Wearing a seat belt increases your chances of surviving a crash by up to 60 percent. Through continued enforcement and education, we hope to see more people buckling up and fewer fatal crashes on Pennsylvania’s roads.”

Pennsylvania law requires drivers, front-seat passengers, and any occupant younger than 18 to buckle up when riding in a vehicle. Children under age 4 must be properly secured in an approved child safety seat. Children under age 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they outgrow the maximum weight and height limits designated by the seat manufacturer. Booster seats are required for children ages 4 to 8.

In 2023, there were 11,756 crashes in Pennsylvania where at least one occupant was not wearing a seat belt, resulting in 316 fatalities. It is estimated that 92% of unbelted occupants, or 282 people, who were killed in crashes while traveling in passenger vehicles, including cars, small trucks, vans, and SUVs, could have survived if they had been buckled up.

Troopers certified as child passenger safety technicians offer car seat fittings and inspections throughout Pennsylvania, helping ensure that car seats are in good working condition, installed properly, and free from recalls.

“It’s important that parents and caregivers buckle up while behind the wheel while also ensuring children are in properly installed child safety seats,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “Troopers who are certified as child passenger safety technicians can do just that by providing education and hands-on assistance with the proper use of safety seats so children are safe for every ride.”

The checks are free of charge. A complete list of child passenger seat fitting stations is available at psp.pa.gov.

During the four-day Memorial Day weekend in 2023, PSP troopers investigated 651 crashes that resulted in four fatalities and 142 injuries. State Police also cited 1,318 individuals for not wearing seat belts and issued 224 tickets for not securing children in safety seats.

As part of the enforcement mobilization, tomorrow night state and local police agencies will be taking part in coordinated, high visibility enforcement by utilizing roving patrols, traffic enforcement zones, and speed enforcement details on roadways with high rates of unbuckled crashes.

With summer travel kicking off this weekend, PennDOT reminds motorists to visit 511PA’s Historic Holiday Traffic page to plan optimal travel times on major roadways across the state this Memorial Day. The holiday travel tool allows the public to see how traffic speeds on the Friday before and on Memorial Day in 2022 and 2023 compare to traffic conditions during a typical, non-holiday week. Users can choose their region and view an hour-by-hour, color-coded representation of traffic speeds to help determine the best times to travel during the holiday.

While PennDOT will remove lane restrictions and suspend construction projects wherever possible, the Historic Holiday Traffic page also allows the public to view interstate restrictions that will be in place during the holiday travel period.

Motorists are reminded they can also check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles in Pennsylvania year-round by visiting www.511PA.com. The service, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.