State Police Issue More Citations for Speeding, Failure to Wear Seat Belts

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The number of people killed or injured in crashes investigated by Pennsylvania State Police during the Thanksgiving holiday driving period dropped in comparison to last year, Commissioner Frank E. Pawlowski announced today.

He said three people were killed and 300 others were injured in crashes to which troopers responded from Nov. 25-29. Last year, 10 people died and 321 others were injured during the five-day Thanksgiving driving period.

"We had only one fatal crash in which the victim was not wearing a seat belt and there were no alcohol-related fatal crashes this year," Pawlowski said. "Last year, eight people who were not wearing seatbelts were killed in crashes and we investigated four alcohol-related fatal crashes."

Pawlowski said troopers responded to a total of 885 crashes this year, compared to 1,042 during the 2008 Thanksgiving driving period. Of that total, 80 crashes were alcohol-related this year, compared to 92 last year.

State police during this year's holiday period issued 7,412 speeding citations, an increase of 1,572, or 27 percent, over the number of citations issued last year; and issued 741 citations for failure to wear seat belts, an increase of 164, or 28 percent.

Troopers also arrested 359 individuals for driving under the influence, down from 416 last year; and issued citations to 42 drivers for failing to restrain children properly in child safety seats, down from 54 last year.

The crash numbers cover only those incidents investigated by state police and do not include statistics on crashes to which other law-enforcement agencies responded.

For more information, visit www.psp.state.pa.us or call 717-783-5556.

Media contact: Jack J. Lewis, 717-783-5556

SOURCE Pennsylvania State Police Department

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