Two Killed During Christmas Holiday Driving Period

| December 30, 2016

state policeHARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) troopers arrested 314 people for driving under the influence during the four-day Christmas holiday from December 23 through December 26, 2016.

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 314 arrests is a 44 percent increase from 2015, when PSP made 218 DUI arrests during the same four-day Christmas driving period.

State police investigated 661 crashes over the long holiday weekend, up from 632 crashes in 2015. Of the 661 collisions this year, 50 involved alcohol, 201 people were injured, and two people were killed.

In addition to DUI enforcement, troopers issued 2,884 speeding citations, 218 seatbelt citations, and 74 child safety seat citations.

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.

CRASH DATA
Total Crashes Fatal
Crashes
People
Killed
People Injured Alcohol-Related Crashes Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes
2015 632 4 4 153 54 1
2016 661 2 2 201 50 0
ENFORCEMENT DATA
DUI Arrests Speeding Citations Child Seat Citations Seat Belt Citations Other
Citations
2015 218 2,677 54 297 4,009
2016 314 2,884 74 218 4,514


As Pennsylvanians make plans for New Year’s Eve celebrations, drivers are encouraged to download the SaferRide app. Developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 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.

Law enforcement agencies, including the PSP, will continue to step up patrols throughout the holiday in an effort to reduce reckless and impaired driving. During the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holiday travel periods in 2015, 1,209 crashes statewide involved a driver impaired by drugs or alcohol, according to PennDOT data

For more information about the Pennsylvania State Police, visit www.psp.pa.gov.


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Category: Local News, News, State News