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Philly police cracking down on North Broad Street traffic violations, bad drivers with new initiative

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Published  April 16, 2024 10:22pm EDT
Crime & Public Safety
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Philly officers cracking down on bad drivers on North Broad Street with new initiative

As a part of a new initiative, Philadelphia police are cracking down on bad drivers and traffic violations along North Broad Street.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department has announced a 30-day traffic enforcement initiative along North Broad Street in response to an increase in traffic violations over the past several months. 

The violations include disregarding traffic signals, double-parking, and driving in the wrong direction, which pose safety risks to pedestrians and motorists.

The initiative began Monday, April 15 and will run from City Hall North to Cheltenham Avenue. 

"These reckless actions have put the safety of our citizens and visitors at risk," said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. "This initiative is designed to address these concerns and create a safer environment for everyone traveling along this busy corridor."

The department plans to dedicate resources to increasing police visibility and enforcing traffic laws. 

According to a press release from PPD Tuesday, the new initiative is set to focus on the following three key areas:

Reducing Crashes and Fatalities

"Statistics show a concerning number of accidents on North Broad Street. Between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, there were 1,601 crashes, 52 involving pedestrians, and 9 fatalities. The Philadelphia Police Department aims to significantly reduce these numbers through this focused enforcement effort."

Deployment and Visibility

"Highly visible police personnel will be deployed throughout the corridor. Officers will proactively enforce traffic laws, including issuing citations and towing vehicles when necessary. All enforcement actions will comply with city, state, and federal laws and will adhere to departmental policies."

Enforcement Strategy

"A zero-tolerance approach will be taken towards violations of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, Motor Vehicle Code, parking regulations, and city ordinances. Special attention will be paid to no-parking zones and keeping traffic lanes clear to improve overall traffic flow."

"It's no secret to anybody who drives around in this city that driving conditions are a little crazy, right?" said Mike Cram, Deputy Police Commissioner Patrol Operations.

Cram continued, "just on North Broad Street on an eight-mile stretch from City Hall to the border in Cheltenham, that's 1500 accidents since 2019, 44 fatal on the same straight eight-mile stretch."

The new enforcement effort aims to make North Broad Street a safer corridor for everyone.