Western Pa. and state police combine efforts to address speeding, aggressive driving

Cresting the hill on Route 51 in Rostraver, some traffic appeared to be ignoring the 45 mph speed limit Tuesday morning near the Darr Road intersection.

State trooper Bryan McKee sat in an unmarked patrol unit with the driver’s window down, checking speeds with a radar gun. Some motorists heading south toward the border of Westmoreland and Fayette counties were close to 45 mph, but others were about 15 mph over the limit.

A lone tractor-trailer provided the first traffic stop for a joint enforcement effort between state and Rostraver police.

“Big truck, 60,” McKee called out the passenger side window to township Officer Martin Palla.

“Oh, he’s mine,” Palla responded before turning on his lights and sirens and taking off after the tractor-trailer.

State troopers across Pennsylvania are working with local police through Aug. 17 for a wave of aggressive driving enforcement. It is a joint effort among police agencies, Highway Safety Network and PennDOT.

Aggressive driving includes speeding, tailgating, weaving through traffic and running red lights, according to PennDOT.

“As summer starts to heat up, we see aggressive driving behaviors heat up as well,” said Trooper Kalee Barnhart. “Every year, when the weather gets warmer and the roads get busier, we notice an increase in drivers taking unnecessary risks behind the wheel.”

PennDOT District 12 safety press officer Emily Swecker said there were 1,507 crashes related to aggressive driving in Westmoreland County in 2024. Six people died in those crashes, she said.

Statewide last year, there were 579 people killed in 62,538 crashes related to aggressive driving.

“We urge all drivers to slow down, drive with patience and respect others on the road — not just during this enforcement wave, but every time they get behind the wheel,” Swecker said.

Rostraver police coordinate about once a month with state troopers for traffic enforcement, said township police Chief Scott Sokol. The current wave is in addition to that.

Township police typically focus their efforts on a section of Route 51 near the Allegheny County line where the speed limit is 45 mph.

“It’s congested, so we do a lot of enforcement there. Because of the constant stopping and turning in that area, we have some accidents,” Sokol said.

The wave of aggressive driving enforcement will focus on high impact areas around the state, Barnhart said. Anyone who is caught during the aggressive driving enforcement could face fines, points on their license, increased insurance rates or a license suspension.

“If there’s somebody out there aggressive driving, just stay out of their way, don’t get involved, don’t encounter any road rage, call 911,” Sokol said.