Labor Day weekend vehicle crashes down slightly from last year

The Pennsylvania State Police reported 5% fewer crashes on state-patrolled roads over the four-day Labor Day holiday compared to last year.

This year’s holiday weekend saw 684 crashes that injured 204 people. In 2018, there were 722 crashes that injured 224 people.

Across the state’s southwest region, which includes Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, there were 118 crashes, three fatalities and 52 injured. One of these holiday crashes includes the four people hospitalized – two in critical condition – after a vehicle traveling inbound on the Liberty Bridge crossed the median early Monday and struck another vehicle head-on.

State troopers also issued nearly 2,000 speeding tickets across the region and arrested 149 people on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Year-over-year, nearly all of the statewide crash and enforcement categories – including speeding and DUI arrests – were down. Alcohol-related crashes, however, saw the most significant drop with a 44% decrease.

Troopers handed out 11,742 speeding tickets and arrested 610 people for driving under the influence compared to more than 13,000 speeding citations and 643 DUI arrests last year.

But seven people were killed in seven separate crashes, one which involved alcohol. Last year, there were six fatal crashes, three alcohol related.

Labor Day proved to be less deadly than the Fourth of July this year, in which nine people were killed over the five-day holiday.

“The numbers are within the normal fluctuations we typically see from year to year,” said Ryan Tarkowski, a Pennsylvania State Police spokesman.

Tarkowski added, “The message really remains the same: Drive sober, buckle up and never drive distracted.”