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? Unfortunately, Pennsylvania ranked among the red-rating states. While PA has optimal laws against texting and driving, it can still improve seat belt and helmet requirements, and adopt more stringent teen driver laws.

The report suggests a correlation between lax safety regulations and climbing numbers of traffic fatalities. According to the Advocates, lawmakers have been painfully slow to pass safety laws. Meanwhile, traffic deaths continue to rise. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows an increase in all types of traffic deaths across the board. Drunk driving, motorcyclist, pedestrian, unbelted occupants, distracted driving, child fatalities – all up.

“People are needlessly dying on our roads while lifesaving measures are needlessly dying in our state legislatures,” Jacqueline Gillan, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Gillian goes on to say that there appears to be a resistance to pass these kinds of laws and that that needs to change. Indeed, it may be the difference between life and death for thousands of people.

If you were involved in a car accident anywhere in Pennsylvania, our car accident lawyer is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.