Traffic fatalities in 2020 second-lowest on record: PennDOT
Updated 10:56 AM;
Overall traffic fatalities continue to trend downward, officials said.
“Even one life lost is one too many, and Pennsylvania is committed to moving toward zero deaths,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Our biggest priority continues to be safe travel regardless of the mode you use, and we continue to work with our partners to decrease fatalities through educational outreach, the latest innovations, effective enforcement, and low-cost safety improvements.”
PennDOT officials expect I-81 south to be closed for four to six hours as crews reconstruct a fatal crash. Photo: Mark Pynes
There was less traffic on the roads in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, but roadway deaths were up 6 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. That number is in line with an overall preliminary report recently released by the National Safety Council, which showed that motor vehicle deaths were up 8 percent.