HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) troopers arrested 243 people for driving under the influence during the three-day Christmas holiday from Dec. 23 through Dec. 25, 2017.
Troopers were on the lookout for impaired drivers with high-visibility patrols and DUI checkpoints as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign.
The total of 243 arrests is a decrease from 314 arrests made during the 2016 Christmas holiday driving period, which spanned four days.
State police investigated 529 crashes over the long holiday weekend. Sixty of the collisions involved alcohol, 102 people were injured and five people were killed. Alcohol was a factor in one of the fatal crashes.
In addition to DUI enforcement, troopers issued 1,261 speeding citations, 145 seatbelt citations and 26 child safety seat citations.
Crash and enforcement data by troop is available here. These statistics cover only those incidents investigated by state police and do not include statistics on incidents to which other law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania responded.
With New Year’s Eve celebrations still to come this weekend, drivers are reminded to plan ahead for a safe ride home. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s SaferRide app is free to download on Apple and Android devices.
Once installed, the app provides a simple interface to call a taxi or a trusted friend for a ride if you have had too much to drink.
For more information about the Pennsylvania State Police, visit www.psp.pa.gov.
