Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania State Police along with several safety partners recently outlined regional impaired-driving and safety efforts during “Operation Safe Holiday”, a campaign to promote safe driving through the holiday season.
“We want to encourage everyone to drive safe and sober this holiday season,” says PennDOT District 6 Executive, Kenneth M. McClain. “This is a time of year to have happy memories, not a time to be put in jail, get hurt, or even killed because you decided to get behind the wheel impaired.”
PennDOT data indicates that the winter holiday season continues to be the leading time period for traffic crashes. In 2017, there were 1,631 crashes and 13 fatalities in the Philadelphia region during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year travel periods. Of those, 184 crashes and 9 fatalities were impaired-driving related.
PennDOT encourages motorists to plan ahead before heading out for Holiday festivities by doing the following:
- If you decide to drink, make sure you have a non-drinking friend as a designated driver or arrange for alternate transportation.
- Decide to be a non-drinking designated driver, and do not let your friends drive impaired.
- If you have been drinking and do not have a designated driver, call a taxi, use a ride sharing service or mass transit.
- If you are hosting a party, never allow your guests to leave unless they are going home with a sober driver.
- Always wear your seatbelt, whether you are the passenger or a non-drinking designated driver.
The Pennsylvania State Police and hundreds of municipal police departments statewide will participate in the “Operation Safe Holiday” campaign this year to increase traffic safety enforcement through the New Year’s holiday.
For more information on “Operation Safe Holiday”, #PASafeHoliday, and PennDOT’s other safety initiatives, visit www.penndot.gov/safety.
