Drivers still a key factor
An editorial opinion from the Times-Tribune in Scranton:
Fewer people died in Pennsylvania traffic crashes in 2016 than in any year since record-keeping began in 1928. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 1,088 fatal crashes claimed 1,188 lives last year, down from 1,200 deaths in 1,102 fatal crashes in 2015.
There are many reasons for the improvement, from less driving under the influence to improving vehicle and highway safety engineering.
PennDOT itself deserves a share of the credit for its consistent investment in greater safety through major and minor projects, ranging from reconstructed intersections to simple signage and roadway improvements.
Drivers, of course, remain the wild card. A texting driver on the safest road exponentially increases the chances for a crash. And driver and pedestrian distraction by electronic devices is believed to be a principal cause in an increase in pedestrian deaths, to 172 in 2016 from 153 in 2015.
To maintain the safety momentum, the state Legislature should add Pennsylvania to the ranks of surrounding states that ban drivers’ use of hand-held devices.