Pennsylvania motorists appear to be slowing down and paying more attention to safety measures after more than two years of a spike in risky behavior during the pandemic.
Figures released Thursday by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation showed that fatalities in 2022 dropped by about 4.1% and reportable crashes decreased to the second lowest level since 1951. After two years of significant increases during the pandemic, when experts theorized that open roads led to more risky behavior from the remaining drivers, deaths fell from 1,230 to 1,179.
“It certainly is good news that our fatalities are decreasing, but they are still too high,” acting PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said in a news release. “One life lost is one too many, especially if the death could have been prevented.
“Safety is everyone’s responsibility. We owe it to each other to slow down and pay attention when we’re driving because these unsafe behaviors put everyone’s life at risk.”
The department reported fatality decreases in five key statistical areas that play a major role in traffic deaths:
- Speeding, 169, down from 201 in 2021 and the lowest in more than 20 years.
- Hitting fixed objects like trees or poles, 361, down from 397 and second lowest in more than 20 years.
- Not wearing seat beats or using car seats, 354, down from 378, third lowest in more than 20 years.
- Drivers under 18, 28, down from 45 and fourth lowest in 20 years.
- Bicycle deaths, 15, down from 24 and second lowest in 10 years.
- Crashes on local roads, 196, down from 214 and second lowest in 10 years.
Unfortunately, the numbers also show fatalities increased in some troublesome areas:
- Distracted driving, 80, up from 60 in 2021.
- Head-on crashes, 181, up from 151.
- Crashes at intersections with traffic signals, 133, up from 122.
- Drivers 65 to 74 years old, 169, up from 163.
PennDOT noted that the state used about $482 million in Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funds for 337 projects between 2017 and 2022 and another $50 million in state funds for low-cost safety measures at more than 1,000 locations such as centerline and edge rumble strips and high-friction surfaces.
The department also spends about $23.5 million a year on programs to encourage safe driving.
The state figures come on the heels of national estimates last week that showed traffic deaths dropped 0.35% after sharp increases during the pandemic. In January 2022, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg declared the increase in traffic deaths a national crisis and announced the National Roadway Safety Strategy, a five-pronged program to reduce deaths by spending about $14 billion to encourage safer driving, build safer roads, improve vehicle safety, drive at safe speeds and improve medical care for accident victims.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.