Pa. Police Are Cracking Down on Aggressive Drivers

From now until late August, state and local police plan to be especially unforgiving toward those who run red lights, speed and tailgate.

State police and officers from 58 municipalities in Southeastern Pennsylvania are launching a major crackdown on aggressive drivers.

The statewide mobilization kicked off yesterday and will run through August 26th. Officers will be on the lookout for motorists who run red lights, speed and tailgate, as well as those who violate the state’s School Bus Stopping Law. 

Participating agencies, which include police departments in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, will use traffic enforcement zones, patrols, speed enforcement, corridor enforcement, work zone enforcement and multi-jurisdictional patrol strategies to identify and cite aggressive drivers.

The crackdown is part of the Pennsylvania Aggressive Driving Enforcement and Education Project. It’s funded in part by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, aggressive driving was a factor in 1,475 crashes and 20 fatalities in 2016 in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.

PennDOT offers the following tips for encounters with aggressive drivers:

• Get out of their way and don’t challenge them;
• Stay relaxed, avoid eye contact and ignore rude gestures; and
• Don’t block the passing lane if you are driving slower than most of the traffic.

For more information, visit PennDOT’s website.

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