PennDOT has announced a major step forward in highway safety: traffic fatalities dropped to 1,127 in 2024, the second-lowest figure since records began in 1928. For PMTA members and the trucking industry, this milestone reflects the growing impact of coordinated enforcement, education, and infrastructure investments aimed at protecting all roadway users — including commercial vehicles.

“While this decrease in fatalities is certainly good news, even one life lost is one too many,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “PennDOT will continue to work with our partners to decrease traffic deaths through education and outreach, but we will only get to zero fatalities when everyone works together. Please pay attention when you are driving, always follow the speed limit, and never drive impaired. And buckle up! Your seat belt can save your life in a crash.”

Pennsylvania saw 82 fewer fatalities in 2024 compared to 2023, with notable drops in impaired driving and lane departure crashes. PennDOT attributes the decrease to several factors:

• Infrastructure Investment: From 2020 to 2024, PennDOT allocated $591 million in federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funds to 392 safety projects. An additional $50 million in state funding supported low-cost safety features like rumble strips, signage, and pavement treatments. Many of these safety countermeasures no doubt impacted lane departure fatalities, which dropped from 629 to 537 last year, continuing a long-term trend.
• Impaired Driving Enforcement: Fatalities in impaired driving crashes dropped by 20%, supported by $6.2 million in NHTSA funding and the work of over 260 Drug Recognition Experts across the Commonwealth.
• Behavioral Focus: With driver behavior responsible for 83% of crashes, PennDOT's safety campaigns stress personal responsibility and safe driving practices — a message PMTA continues to echo through its safety and education initiatives.

While fatalities overall were down in 2024, the report showed areas in need of improvement, including fatal crashes at intersections, which increased from 301 to 321 last year.

Overall, it’s certainly notable that driver behavior was the cause of the vast majority (83%) of crashes last year, meaning that driver education and behavior modification to address distracted, impaired, or aggressive driving can impact road safety and save lives.  

With Pennsylvania’s Distracted Driving Law going into effect on June 5, 2025, mobile device distractions will become a focus of enhanced driver education and enforcement efforts. This law, which was supported by PMTA, bans the use of hand-held devices while driving.

PMTA’s Role in Advancing Road Safety

PMTA and its Safety Management Committee remain actively engaged in promoting safer roadways across Pennsylvania through strong partnerships with PennDOT, law enforcement agencies, and industry stakeholders. PMTA’s safety program was honored with a Magna Cum Laude award from ATA for its safety programming.

Pennsylvania’s Road Team — a group of professional truck drivers dedicated to promoting safety, public education, and a positive image of the trucking industry – travel across the Commonwealth to visit schools, community events, and career fairs, teaching safe driving practices around large vehicles. Their outreach supports PennDOT’s mission and reinforces PMTA’s commitment to long-term safety on the roads.

PMTA is also proud to help shape policies and initiatives that protect both commercial drivers and the motoring public through the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) at PennDOT, which is chaired by PMTA President & CEO Rebecca Oyler. This committee brings together public and private sector leaders to identify safety priorities, recommend improvements, and support data-driven strategies that reduce crashes and save lives.

PMTA strives to stand at the forefront of Pennsylvania’s road safety efforts and will continue working with its partners to make our highways safer for everyone who drives them.

 For more information on reportable crash data, visit PennDOT’s Pennsylvania Crash Information Tool (PCIT) website, crashinfo.penndot.pa.gov. All crash download spreadsheets and the “Custom Query Tool” are updated with 2024 data. The 2024 “Facts Book” and “Public Crash Databases” will be available by June 1.

For more information on PennDOT’s highway safety initiatives, visit penndot.pa.gov/safety.