Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Spring Township, State College and Patton Township police departments, and the Highway Safety Network discussed a targeted aggressive driving enforcement wave that began Monday, October 25, and concludes Sunday, November 14. The purpose of this high visibility enforcement mobilization is to reduce the number of aggressive driving related crashes, injuries, and deaths on Pennsylvania roadways, with particular emphasis on violators of Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law and Move Over Law.

“Making sure kids riding the bus are safe is everyone’s responsibility,” said Adam Salyards, Spring Township Police Chief. “There are steep penalties for drivers that fail to stop for a bus that’s red lights are flashing, not to mention the danger of seriously injuring a child.”

Salyards reminded drivers that the School Bus Stopping Law requires them to stop at least 10 feet away from buses with their red lights flashing and stop arm extended. Motorists meeting or overtaking a stopped bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped must stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. If a physical barrier such as a grassy median, guide rail or concrete median separates oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.

Lieutenant Barret Smith, State College Police Department, spoke on the state’s Move Over law. He urged drivers approaching an emergency response area who are unable to safely merge into a lane farther away from the response area that they must "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." He explained 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 try to warn travelers.

Smith said recent changes to the law created a new point system that imposes two points for failure to merge into the lane not next to the emergency response area. Changes also set fines at $500 for first-time offenders, $1,000 for a second offense, and $2,000 for a third or subsequent offense. Third or subsequent offenses also require a 90-day license suspension. 

Officer Brad Tuskovich, Patton Township Police Department, highlighted the dangers of speeding and tailgating, which are also behaviors police are cracking down on during the wave. He explained these behaviors reduce a driver’s ability to negotiate curves or maneuver around obstacles in the roadway, extend the distance traveled before a vehicle can stop and increase the distance a vehicle travels while a driver reacts to a hazard. They also increase the risk of crashes and injuries because drivers of other vehicles and pedestrians may not be able to judge distance correctly.

Approximately 300 municipal police departments and the Pennsylvania State Police are participating in these enforcement efforts, and they are concentrating efforts on roadways known to have high numbers of aggressive driving crashes.

According to PennDOT 2020 data, aggressive driving behaviors were a contributing factor in 5,615 crashes. Those crashes resulted in 91 fatalities and 401 suspected serious injuries. In Centre County, aggressive driving behaviors were a contributing factor in 49 percent of crashes in 2020.

For regional traffic updates, follow

MEDIA CONTACTS: Timothy Nebgen, PennDOT, 814-765-0598, 814-360-3838

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