Aggressive driving crack down in Philly area: What you need to know
Campaign by Pa agencies to crack down on aggressive driving begins
A coordinated effort to crack down on aggressive driving across the region is set to take place by various Pennsylvania agencies Friday.
PHILADELPHIA - In an effort to crack down on aggressive driving in the Philadelphia area, PennDOT, the Pennsylvania State Police and officers from the Philadelphia Police Department will be conducting a multi-county enforcement, using different strategies to identify and cite aggressive drivers along Route 1 on Friday.
What they're saying:
Kayla Dorsey says she has seen her fair share on her commute to and from work on Route 1 in Delaware County.
"Everyone just drives crazy, and I feel like no one is paying attention to anybody," she says.
She’s not the only one that feels that way. Sean Eife, a sophomore at Saint Joseph’s University, says it’s not unusual to see aggressive drivers on City Avenue.
"Earlier this year a student actually got hit crossing the street and was in critical condition, it was late at night, but there’s still no excuse to be driving that fast," he says.
What we know:
It’s why PennDOT, Pennsylvania State Police and Philadelphia Police are teaming up for aggressive driving enforcement on Friday along Route 1, through Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, and Philadelphia counties.
It comes almost a week after a car, allegedly racing another vehicle on I-95 North in Philadelphia, veered off the highway and crashed onto Castor Avenue below, killing two of four brothers and a puppy inside.
"The atmosphere created by aggressive drivers can be frightening and as we saw in this tragic incident, it can have devastating consequences," says Din Abazi, PennDOT District 6 Executive.
Brothers killed in rollover crash off I-95 overpass in Philadelphia ID'd by police
Police have identified two brothers who were killed when their vehicle struck a barrier on an I-95 overpass and crashed onto the street below.
How it will work:
More than 80 agencies from the five counties will use different strategies to identify and cite aggressive drivers along Route 1, specifically those speeding, distracted, following too closely or making careless lane changes.
"We’re issuing tickets for these types of driving behaviors and even impounding your vehicle if warranted. You can have your driving privileges suspended for six months for driving reckless, five points taken off your driver's license," says Lieutenant Lawrence Tankelewicz with the Philadelphia Police Department.
By the numbers:
According to PennDOT, there were more than 1,500 aggressive driving crashes across the five counties in 2024, which included 40 deaths and nearly 100 serious injuries. That marks the highest number of aggressive driving crashes and deaths since before 2021. In Philadelphia alone in 2024, more than 120 people were killed due to traffic violence, according to city officials.
What's next:
Michael Carroll, Deputy Managing Director of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, says the speed cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard have proven to be successful in improving safety. He announced Thursday that the city is officially starting the work to bring the technology to Broad Street.
"I can't guarantee it's all set up this year," he says. "That's certainly something we're hoping to get in place by the time that we have kids go to school in the fall, and that type of thing."
What you can do:
Drivers that witness aggressive driving are asked to safely pull over to call 911 and try to get a license plate or description of the car.
To learn more about PennDOT’s highway safety efforts, visit their website.