Bellefonte, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania DUI Association, and the Highway Safety Network were joined today by Centre County law enforcement at a media event urging motorists to drive safely over Memorial Day weekend. While the event focused on several safety focus areas, the emphasis was on the dangers of impaired driving.

“We have made some great strides in reducing impaired driving on Pennsylvania’s highways. However, we have reached a point of stagnation where we are no longer reducing the number of impaired driving fatalities,” said C. Stephen Erni, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania DUI Association. “I ask all motorists to commit themselves to driving sober, utilizing alternative means of transportation and to not letting family, friends or guests get behind the wheel impaired.”

Lt. Stephen J. Adamczyk, Station Commander for the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troop G Rockview, said he expects a significant increase in traffic over the holiday weekend and that troopers will be out in force patrolling the highways and keeping motorists safe. He said PSP takes a zero-tolerance approach to impaired driving because it remains one of the main contributing factors of statewide traffic fatalities. The Centre County DUI Task Force, comprised of six law enforcement agencies in the State College and surrounding areas, will also be engaged in enforcement activities, he noted.

Lt. Adamczyk reminded motorists of Pennsylvania’s Move Over law. The law requires drivers approaching an emergency response area who are unable to safely merge into a lane farther away from the response area to “pass the emergency response area at a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit and reasonable for safely passing.” An emergency response area is where an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing or where road crews or emergency responders have lighted flares, posted signs, or tried to warn travelers.

Lt. Adamczyk also warned motorists that troopers will be on the lookout for distracted drivers. He explained any activity that diverts your attention from the primary task of driving constitutes distracted driving. Examples include talking or texting on a cell phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, and adjusting the stereo, entertainment, or navigation system.

Craig Amos, Drug Recognition Expert with the Pennsylvania DUI Association, explained that officers look for more than just alcohol impairment while on patrol. He said the number of officers who receive specialized training to recognize drivers under the influence of illegal drugs or prescription medication continues to grow. The likelihood of an impaired driver being prosecuted increases as more officers are certified as DREs. According to the PA DUI Association, the average first offense DUI conviction in Pennsylvania costs between $6,000 and $10,000 and entails a suspension of the motorist’s operating privilege for up to 12 months.

Bellefonte Borough Police Department Chief Shawn Weaver warned residents of the dangers of impairment whether they are a driver or a pedestrian. According to PennDOT data, there were 215 crashes involving at least one pedestrian in Centre County between January 2015 and December 2020. Of those 215 crashes, 35 were alcohol or drug-related crashes. He urged drivers and pedestrians to travel sober. He also advised pedestrians to cross the street at crosswalks, look in both directions before crossing, always obey traffic signs and signals, and be seen by wearing bright clothing during the day and reflective materials at night. He said following these safety tips year-round decreases your likelihood of being struck by a vehicle.

Lieutenant Barrett Smith of the State College Police Department warned motorcyclists against driving under the influence of alcohol. According to PennDOT data, 3,256 motorcyclist crashes occurred in Pennsylvania in 2020. Of those crashes, police suspected the motorcycle driver of drinking 272 times, which is just over 8 percent of all instances. He urged motorcyclists to wear a helmet, conduct a pre-ride check before every outing and wear reflective clothing this weekend and throughout the riding season. He also urged drivers of passenger vehicles to be on the lookout for motorcyclists, check mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes, leave at least four seconds when following a motorcycle and always signal their intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.

Josh Woods, Community Traffic Safety Project Coordinator with the Highway Safety Network, reminded motorists that seat belts are your best defense in any crash. Woods cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data that your likelihood of avoiding serious injury or death in a crash increases by 60 percent if wearing your seat belt. He also reminded residents of the ongoing “Click It or Ticket” enforcement mobilization running now through Sunday, June 6. Law enforcement will be cracking down on motorists who are not wearing their seat belts. If a driver is stopped for a moving violation and isn’t wearing their seat belt, they will receive a second citation for being unbuckled.

For more information on PennDOT’s highway safety initiatives, visit www.PennDOT.gov/Safety.

For regional traffic updates, follow www.twitter.com/511PAAltoona, www.twitter.com/511PAErie, www.twitter.com/511PAStateCOLL. 

MEDIA CONTACT:  Timothy Nebgen, 814-765-0598 or 814-360-3838

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