State police: New Year holiday crashes up, citations down from 2019-2020
Crashes and related injuries and deaths in Pennsylvania were up this New Year’s holiday weekend compared with the same three-day period in 2019-20, before the pandemic had an impact on travel, according to state police.
The number of arrests across the state for driving under the influence stayed nearly the same as was recorded two years earlier, but citations for speeding and many other traffic violations saw a marked drop.
State police investigated 471 wrecks from Friday through Sunday that killed two people and injured 97. That compares with 460 crashes two years earlier that involved one fatality and 87 injuries.
State police didn’t compile crash and traffic enforcement statistics for the 2020-21 holiday because of the covid-19 pandemic and related mitigation efforts that were in place in the state.
DUI arrests decreased by one, to 278, while citations for child seat violations increased by two, to 68. Meanwhile, speeding citations dropped from 6,410 to 3,632, seat belt citations were down from 476 to 310 and other citations declined from 9,238 to 6,223.
Statewide, alcohol was involved in 41 of the wrecks investigated by police, including one of the two fatal crashes.
State police Troop A, which covers most of Westmoreland County, investigated 19 crashes this past weekend, resulting in eight injuries. Three of the wrecks involved alcohol.
There were 17 DUI arrests, 267 speeding citations, 23 for seat belt citations and 239 for other violations.
Troop B, which provides police coverage for the southwestern portion of Westmoreland County and much of Allegheny County, saw 32 wrecks, three of them involving alcohol, and five injuries.
There were 27 DUI arrests, 249 speeding citations, 42 seat belt citations and 550 for other violations.
Troop D, which covers Armstrong County and a portion of Allegheny County, reported 17 crashes, one of them involving alcohol, and one injury.
There were 20 DUI arrests, 139 speeding citations, 11 seat belt citations and 174 for other violations.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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