Talking Safety conversation draws concerns about motorists not adhering to road rules

Driving in Pittsburgh is not an easy feat even for natives of the city.

Its complicated road designs, constant construction and a lack of speeding radars has made vehicle safety a priority for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Traffic Incident Management organization.

The group hosts a monthly Talking Safety conversation for TIM partners and citizens at different Pennsylvania municipalities so the public can brush up on their knowledge of traffic safety precautions. They open the floor to free discussion between safety departments on how to keep traffic control safe for them and motorists.

“These really are a opportunity on a regular basis just to talk about the stuff that’s going on. We had them quarterly for about nine years, then came covid and we had to be virtual. And I finally said, let’s just do this monthly,” said Chuck Yorks, the emergency incident management specialist at GFT Traffic and presenter for the Penn Hills Talking Safety meeting.

The Southwestern PA TIM partners include Churchill, Cranberry, Penn Hills, Pittsburgh, Ross, Wilkins and more.

Penn Hills, in collaboration with TIM, held two sessions of the conversation at 1 and 6 p.m. June 18 in the council chambers of the Penn Hills Government Center.

The first conversation drew a small group — just 10 people. In attendance were Penn Hills police Chief Ronald Como, deputy municipal clerk and EMS supervisor Diane Fitzhenry, PennDOT’s Allegheny County assistant maintenance manager Tucker Tomasino and various Penn Hills responders.

Yorks started the discussion with unmatched enthusiasm and showed a series of procedure slides detailing directions and reminders of what responders should do while handling an emergency. Some slides showed responders wearing safety vests andblocking lanes off fully during traffic control to ensure their safety.

“I don’t want you to get hit. Engage with all other responders for resources to work together — play in the sandbox nicely. Finish the job quickly. Work with a sense of urgency. Your job is to get your (backside) off the road as fast as you can,” Yorks said.

The open discussion covered topics of citizen error when driving.

Those in attendance emphasized motorists need to monitor their speed — no slower than 20 miles under the speed limit and no amount over. Citizens also must move right when yielding for an emergency vehicle, according to Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law. Most importantly, they should be aware of new traffic laws, including the recently enacted Paul Miller’s Law that prohibits drivers from holding cellphones when operating a vehicle at all times.

Tomasino said there are some apps and websites many Pennsylvania motorists aren’t utilizing, including 511pa.com, which provides traffic, transit and weather information as well as incident notifications and access to traffic cameras.

“Pay attention and slow down: 98% is showing up and paying attention,” Yorks said.