HARRISBURG – Did you know that 1,250 traffic accidents occurred around Pennsylvania work zones last year, some resulting in fatalities and injuries? That’s why the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania State Police are reminding motorists about Operation Yellow Jacket and the importance of slowing down in work zones throughout this year’s construction season.
Troopers monitor traffic in PennDOT maintenance trucks traveling within PennDOT’s designated work zones. If the trooper observes a violation such as speeding, tailgating, distracted driving and other violations, they communicate to another trooper in a marked PSP patrol unit to initiate a traffic stop.
“Work zone safety is crucial for our state and contract highway workers, as well as the traveling public. We urge drivers to slow down and stay alert while traveling in our work zones,” said PennDOT Assistant District 8 Executive for Construction Mike Reeder. “Motorists who speed or commit other violations in our work zones should anticipate a trooper to be present.”
“In 2024, 1,250 crashes occurred in work zones in Pennsylvania – resulting in 22 fatalities and 62 suspected serious injuries,” said Sgt. Logan T. Brouse, Pennsylvania State Police communications director. “We have seen first-hand the dangers of reckless driving in work zones. Lives have been lost and families forever changed because of impatience, distractions or impairment behind the wheel.”
Operation Yellow Jacket allows PennDOT and PSP to work together to keep Pennsylvania highways safe for all motorists and highway maintenance and construction crews.
State law requires drivers to slow down, turn on their headlights and obey all posted speed limits and traffic patterns when driving through work zones. Under Title 75, Section 3326, motorists caught by police driving 11 mph or more above the posted speed limit in an active work zone, or who are involved in a crash in an active work zone and are convicted for failing to drive at a safe speed, automatically lose their license for 15 days. Additionally, fines for certain traffic violations – including speeding, driving under the influence, and failure to obey traffic devices – are doubled for active work zones. The law also provides for up to five years of additional jail time for individuals convicted of homicide by vehicle for a crash that occurred in an active work zone.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
