CENTRE COUNTY — Pennsylvania State Police reported an uptick in overall crashes across the Commonwealth during the 2024 Christmas travel period while the number of citations issued stayed relatively the same compared to the year before.
From Dec. 24, 2024, through Dec. 26, 2024, state troopers investigated a total of 495 crashes which resulted in 81 injuries and one death. Of those crashes, police said impaired driving was a factor in 27 of them.
Over the same enforcement period in 2023, troopers investigated a total of 411 crashes resulting in 70 injuries and three fatalities. Of those crashes in 2023, state police reported that at least 36 of them had impaired driving as a factor in the crash.
While the overall number of citations issued was somewhat consistent with the year prior, overall, there were fewer DUI arrests, fewer speeding citations, fewer seat belt citations and fewer child safety seat citations. However, the number of other unspecified citations issued increased from the year before.
During the 2024 enforcement period, there was a total of 4,244 citations issued, 138 of which were for DUI arrests, 720 for speeding, 19 child safety seat citations, 42 seatbelt citations and 3,295 other citations. During the 2023 enforcement period, there was a total of 4,262 citations issued, 200 of which included arrests for DUIs, 1,040 for speeding, 22 child safety seat citations, 123 seatbelt citations and 2,877 other citations.
A further look into the Centre County area shows fewer crashes reported and citations issued compared to the previous year. According to State police at Rockview, or Troop G, there were 14 crashes in the area resulting in four injuries. Troopers reported that just one of those crashes was related to impaired driving.
For the Centre County area in 2023, state police at Rockview investigated 26 crashes which also resulted in four injuries. Of those crashes, two were reported the involvement of impaired driving.
There were 91 total citations issued in the Centre County region during the 2024 enforcement period, five of which resulted in a DUI arrest, 15 for speeding, one child seat safety citation, one seatbelt citation and 66 other citations. Comparatively, state police at Rockview reported a total of 130 citations issued in 2023, nine of which involved a DUI arrest, 48 were for speeding, seven seatbelt citations and 66 other citations.
The statistics provided by Pennsylvania State Police only reflect incidents investigated by state troops and do not include incidents responded to by other law enforcement agencies.
