HARRISBURG – Highway crashes in Pennsylvania claimed the lives of 1,491 motorists in 2007, a decrease of 34 from 2006, according to PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E.
“Anytime that Pennsylvania experiences a drop in the number of highway deaths, it’s good news,” Biehler said. “The sad news is that there are far too many people still dying in highway crashes. More tragic is the fact that aggressive driving continues to be the number one killer on our roads.”
In 2007, aggressive driving played a role in 971 fatalities, up from 913 a year earlier. Over the past five years, aggressive driving has killed 4,640 motorists with the majority of those deaths coming in 2005 when 1,019 motorists were killed due to the actions of aggressive drivers.
Aggressive driving includes such behaviors as speeding, running traffic control devices and careless lane changes. Speed-related highway deaths climbed to 734 last year from 663 in 2006.
“These statistics show that aggressive driving continues to jeopardize the safety of all drivers,” Biehler said. “I’m urging drivers to act responsibly and do the right thing when operating a motor vehicle – your life and the lives of those you share the road with are at stake.”
Biehler also offered a warning to would-be aggressive drivers that with more than 338 municipal police departments and the Pennsylvania State Police working together through the Smooth Operator Program to stop aggressive driving behaviors, it’s only a matter of time before they see those familiar red and blue lights in their mirrors.
If a motorist is stopped and cited for driving 75 mph in a 65 mph zone, the fine and other associated costs are $135.50 plus two points against their driver’s license.
Some of the other major contributing factors to highway deaths, such as failure to wear a seatbelt and driving under the influence, dropped last year. Unbuckled fatalities dropped to 559 from 611 in 2006 and alcohol-related deaths dropped to 525 from 544.
Crashes on Pennsylvania roads rose to 130,564 from 128,342 in 2006. In spite of the increase in crashes in 2007, this is the third lowest number in more than 50 years.
Aggressive driving played a role in 74,887 of those crashes.