16 Chesco police departments to target aggressive drivers

WEST CHESTER >> Sixteen police departments in Chester County will join Pennsylvania State Police in conducting aggressive driving enforcement activities to help reduce the number of crashes, injuries, and deaths on roadways as part of a statewide mobilization that begins now and ends Aug. 25. In total, 60 police departments in the five-county Philadelphia region are involved in the effort.

As part of the Aggressive Driving Enforcement and Education Project, the third wave will focus on running red lights, the Steer Clear law, tailgating, and heavy trucks. Motorists exhibiting other unsafe behaviors such as distracted driving, speeding, and failing to stop at stop signs will also be cited.

According to 2017 PennDOT data, there were 1,482 aggressive-driving related crashes and 17 fatalities in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties.

Municipal police agencies that participated in last year’s campaign wrote 50,707 aggressive-driving related citations statewide, including 30,197 for speeding. Failing to stop for red lights and stop signs resulted in 3,657 citations.

Additionally, the enforcement accounted for 68 felony arrests, 142 fugitives apprehended, 200 impaired driving arrests, and 1,259 occupant protection citations.

The aggressive-driving enforcement is a part of the Pennsylvania Aggressive Driving Enforcement and Education Project and is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The following Chester County police departments will be actively targeting aggressive drivers:

Caln Township, Downingtown, Easttown Township, East Whiteland, Kennett Township, North Coventry, Southern Chester County Regional, Schuylkill Township, Tredyffrin Township, Uwchlan Township, Valley Township, West Brandywine, West Goshen, West Whiteland, Westtown-East Goshen; and Willistown Township.