Slow Down: It’s National Work Zone Awareness Week

National Work Zone Awareness Week: Prevent Car Accidents, Protect Workers

April 3-7 is National Work Zone Awareness Week. As construction season approaches, we remind Pennsylvania drivers to take extra caution when moving through a work zone.

Pennsylvania drivers are used to road work. It can be easy to take construction zones for granted and zip through orange barrel-and-cone mazes without care.

National Work Zone Awareness Week reminds drivers everywhere to slow down and take care in road construction zones.  Last year, there were more than 2,000 crashes in Pennsylvania road work zones.  While highway workers are highly vulnerable, drivers and passengers make up the majority of work zone fatalities.

And, recklessness in a work zone can cost you. In PA, speeding fines are doubled in construction zones. If you cause a serious injury in a work zone, you face a $5,000 fine and a six-month license suspension. […]

Free Motorcycle Safety Courses for Pennsylvania Riders

Spring will be here before we know it. That’s why PennDOT wants motorcycle riders to brush up on safety before the season starts.

Whether you’re a newly licensed rider, an experienced biker, or getting back on the bike for the first time in a while, the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program (PAMSP) offers courses for riders of all skill levels. The PAMSP offers free training for PA residents with a motorcycle license or learner’s permit. Learner’s permit holders who successfully complete the necessary safety course will be issued a motorcycle license.

Riders in Northeast PA can find courses in Dunmore, Nanticoke, and Lake Ariel. To find one near you, click here.

Motorcycle Safety Tips

As with driving a car, there are certain basic safety rules that all bikers should know. Exposed to the elements and less visible than larger vehicles on the road, […]

As Crash Deaths Reach 40k, Adults Drive Worse Than Teens

Who are the riskiest drivers on the road?

While teenage drivers have the highest chances of dying in a car crash, they are not the worst drivers. According to a new study from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety,  young adult drivers report engaging in dangerous driving behavior more than any other age group. They found that about 88% of young adults (age 19-24) admitted to speeding, running red lights, or texting while driving in the last 30 days.

Older adults (25-39) weren’t far behind, at 79%. Among drivers 40-59 years old, 75% owned up to these bad behaviors. Teenagers? Just 69%.

Nearly half of drivers 19-24 years old reported driving through a light that had just turned red when they could have stopped safely. They appear twice as likely as other age groups to type a text while driving. […]

Report of State Safety Laws: PA Gets Failing Grade

The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety have released their annual report card of state safety laws. The report highlights 15 recommended laws regarding occupant protection (seatbelt use, motorcycle helmets) impaired and distracted driving, teen drivers (graduated licensing and age-based restrictions), and child passenger safety.

Best and Worst States for Traffic Safety

The report granted states a green (best), yellow, or red (worst) rating, based on their adoption of recommended optimal traffic safety laws. This year, in a record low, only five states earned a green rating:

• Rhode Island
• Delaware
• Washington
• Louisiana
• Oregon
• District of Columbia

Seventeen states were assigned a red rating. The five worst:

• South Dakota
• Wyoming
• Arizona
• Missouri
• Montana

Pennsylvania’s Safety Laws Need Improvement

So how did PA do? […]

Tips for Sharing the Road with a Snow Plow

When snow covers the roads here in PA, snow plows come to the rescue.

Plows help make dangerous roads safer, but when sharing the road with a plow, you should still use extra caution.

Tips for Driving Around Snow Plows

Give a plow plenty of space. The plow itself can extend over the center line, so keep this in mind as you share the road with an oncoming plow.  The same rule applies if you’re behind the plow. Allow plenty of extra space in between your vehicle and the plow, as they may make unexpected stops or turns. And, due to their limited field of vision, the space directly behind the plow is a blind spot.

If you’re traveling behind a snow plow, it’s a good idea to stay there. They tend to travel more slowly than the speed limit, but the road behind the plow is likely to be safer than the road ahead.   […]