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Pennsylvania

Most recently reviewed July, 2008.

Aggressive Driving Laws

Aggressive Driver Actions

Comments
  Passed resolution to encourage drivers to drive courteously and defensively, not aggressively. Pennsylvania House resolved to support measures that would promote safe driving practices.
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Cell Phone Driving Laws

Crash
Data
Collected

Preemption Laws

Handheld Ban

Texting Ban

All Cell Phone Ban

Enforcement

School Bus Drivers

Novice Drivers
Yes   By jurisdiction        
Sources: American Automobile Association (AAA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Child Passenger Safety Laws

Child Restraint Required
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.)

Adult seat belt Permissible
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.)

Maximum Fine
First Offense

<7

Not permissible

$100
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Drug Impaired Driving Laws

Per Se Laws for Drugs
(Forbidding Prohibited Substances in
Driver's Body)

DEC/DRE Programs
(Providing Law Enforcement Training)
Yes Yes

Source: State Highway Safety Offices.

Drunk Driving Laws

Admin. License
Suspension on
First Offense

Limited Driving Privileges During Suspension

Increased Penalties for High Blood Alc. Concentration (BAC)

Open Container, Repeat Offender Laws

Vehicle and License
Plate
Sanctions

Ignition Interlocks

Alcohol Exclusion Laws Limiting Treatment Opportunity

.16 (>.16)
(higher BAC = harsher penalty) 		Both

 

 Discretionary Yes
Sources: Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws

Learner Stage

Intermediate Stage

Full Privilege
Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Required
Supervised
Driving (Hrs.)
(Nighttime hours in parenthesis)

Special Cell
Phone Provisions

Min.
Age
(Yrs./
Mos.)

Duration
(Mos.)

Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Nighttime Driving Restriction

Passenger
Restriction*
(* family members
exempt)

16

 6

16 / 6

11 p.m. - 5 a.m.

 None

17 (w/ driver's ed.)

18 (w/out driver's ed.)

50  
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), American Automobile Association (AAA) and State Highway Safety Offices.

Helmet Laws

Motorcyclists

Bicyclists

All Helmet Law

Partial Law

All Helmet Law Repealed

 

<21 or all operators within two years of licensure, unless they have completed a safety course approved by PennDOT or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation

2003

<12
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Mature Driver Laws

General Population Length of Renewal (Yrs.)

Provisions for Mature Drivers

4

 
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Seat Belt Laws

Type of Law

Who is Covered
(Yrs.)

In What Seat

Maximum Fine
First Offense
Secondary

8-17

All

 $10
>18 Front
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Segway Laws

Permitted on Sidewalks/Bicycle Paths

Permitted on Roads

Helmets Required

Minimum Age

Pedestrian Laws Apply

Sidewalks

Yes but not on a freeway

<12

 

 
Sources: Segway LLC and State Highway Safety Offices.
Sobriety Checkpoint Laws

Checkpoints Conducted?

Comments

Yes

Several hundred per year
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Speed Limit Laws

Rural Interstates

Urban Interstates

Other Limited Access Roads

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

65 65 55 55 65 65

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Speed and Red Light Cameras
State Law Loca-
tion		 Viola-
tions		 Citation Issued to Whom Liability Image Tradi-
tional Enforce-
ment Penalties		 Records/ Points/ Penalties Defenses Privacy
Per-
mitted

Phila-
delphia

Red light

Registered owner

Owner

Photographs

$25 max. fine/3 points

$100 max. not on operating record

Owner not driver; vehicle stolen; did not own vehicle at time of violation

Images and information not part of public record

Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.

Work Zone Speed Limit Laws

Multiple of Original Fine

Violations Affected

Workers Must Be Present

Double

Various

Yes
Sources: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and State Highway Safety Offices.