A new state law imposing stiff penalties on motorists who ignore “road closed” or other safety warning signs and devices is now in effect, PennDOT recently announced.
Under the law, motorists who drive around or through signs or traffic control devices closing a road or highway due to hazardous conditions will have two points added to their driving records and
be fined up to $250.
If the violation results in a need for emergency responders to be called, the fine is increased to between $250 and $500. Additionally, violators will responsible for repaying the costs of staging the
emergency response.
The law aims to increase safety for motorists and emergency responders in areas where flooding or other hazardous conditions exist, PennDOT officials say.
The new law, Act 114, was signed on July 5 by Governor Tom Corbett and went into effect on Sept. 6.
“Too often, motorists decide their immediate needs outweigh the safety warning signs, and they ignore them, which increases hazards for them and emergency responders,” said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch in a recent press release. “This law underscores that we take safety seriously. When motorists are confronted with emergency road closures, we urge them to use common sense and obey the signs that are placed to keep them safe.”
No comments:
Post a Comment