HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania motorists will help cover the costs related to the state’s transportation plan each time they commit a traffic violation.
Gov. Tom Corbett signed comprehensive transportation legislation into law on Nov. 25, 2013. The legislation will invest $2.3 – $2.4 billion into the state’s roads and bridges by the transportation plan’s fifth year, said the Corbett Administration.
Trooper Bruce A. Morris, community services officer for Troop C of the Pennsylvania State Police, noted the transportation legislation increases the costs associated with disobeying a traffic control device. However, he said it still doesn’t levy points against a violator’s driver’s license.
According to PennDOT, violators will see their fines increased from $25 to $150. However, a number of surcharges usually associated with that offense are waived, except for the $10 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) fee and the $10 judicial computer fund fee.
“It means a difference of $58 from the current fine and surcharges. It is $170 now as compared to $112 before,” said Dawn Roussey, safety press officer for PennDOT, District 2.
Also, many of the changes in fees for drivers in Pennsylvania are indexed for inflation, so the impacts are estimates at this point, said Roussey. For example, she said registration for a passenger car will be an estimated $40 per year beginning in 2017-2018.
Motorists will be able to register their vehicles for a two-year period, beginning Dec. 31, 2016, said Morris. He added that license plate validation stickers will be eliminated on the aforementioned date as well.