Police efforts focus on eliminating aggressive driving from local roads
Drivers who tailgate, cut off other motorists or make improper lane changes should take heed because local and state police are looking to put an end to aggressive driving.
State police, along with several local departments in Washington and Allegheny counties, will be focusing enforcement efforts on roads that have had a high number of aggressive driving crashes.
“Aggressive driving is still a problem,” said Jay Ofsanik, safety press officer for the state Department of Transportation District 12, which includes Washington County. “We’ve added a third wave of enforcement for this fiscal year looking for drivers who tailgate, run through red lights or stop signs, speed or other forms of aggressive driving.”
In Washington County, the seven roads targeted in the blitz that ends Nov. 22 include Interstate 70 and 79, and Routes 19, 40, 980, 22 and 844.
“We look at crash data and citations issued after waves to determine the areas we will target,” Ofsanik said.
In 2013, there were 7,036 aggressive driving-related crashes in the state with 146 fatalities. The number killed was a decrease from 191 deaths in 2012.
State police Lt. Douglas Bartoe, patrol section commander for Troop B headquartered in Washington, said a blitz in May focused on I-70 east of Washington. But there are also problems with aggressive drivers on I-79, particularly in the area between the Canonsburg and Southpointe interchanges.
“On Friday afternoon, we had what started with a three-vehicle, nonreportable crash on I-79 northbound about 4:15 p.m.,” Bartoe said. “We then had a crash involving an injury about 4:35 p.m. followed by a third crash at 5:30 p.m. By then, there was a 10-mile backup.”
“I think the biggest factor is that drivers are not being courteous,” he added.
Trooper Matthew Jardine, community information officer, said drivers also are frustrated by other motorists in the left lane traveling at or below the speed limit.
Bartoe said there are also some issues on secondary roads like Route 844.
North Strabane police Sgt. David Richards said the number of complaints about aggressive drivers is getting worse.
“There is more traffic with people trying to find the shortest route,” Richards said. “We get complaints every day. And I’d say that 90 percent of crashes, if not more, are caused by aggressive drivers.”
Peters Township police Capt. Michael Yanchak said most crashes investigated by officers in his department are rear-end wrecks caused by drivers following too closely.
“They are driving at an inappropriate speed for the traffic and are unable to stop in time,” he added. “Plus you have distracted drivers and those making inappropriate lane changes.”
In South Strabane Township, police are seeing more traffic and getting more reports of road rage because of the increased number of businesses along the Route 19 corridor, said Sgt. Brad McClay.
McDonald police Officer Jeff Cupelli said most of the problems on Route 22, patrolled by that department in Robinson Township, deal with speeders and drivers making improper lane changes.
Also participating in the crackdown are police from Cecil and North Franklin townships and Washington. In Allegheny County, police from Mt. Lebanon, Collier and North and South Fayette townships are also part of the enforcement blitz.
The enforcement is funded by PennDOT through funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.