Eight killed in Pa. crashes over Thanksgiving weekend

The Pennsylvania State Police investigated 1,116 crashes during the five-day Thanksgiving holiday driving period from Nov. 27 through Dec. 1, including seven collisions in which eight people were killed.

In 2018, four people were killed in crashes over the holiday weekend.

Of the 1,116 crashes investigated, 73 were alcohol related and 247 people were injured. State police made 729 DUI arrests over the long holiday weekend. The total represents a 14 percent increase from the 637 DUI arrests made during the same period in 2018. Troopers also issued 14,028 speeding citations, 1,366 citations for failing to wear a seat belt, and 205 citations to drivers for not securing children in safety seats.

During the Thanksgiving Traffic Enforcement Period of 2019, Troop M (Lehigh County, Northampton County and Bucks County) Troopers investigated a total of 72 crashes and made 45 driving under the influence arrests.

In Troop N, which covers Carbon and Monroe counties, police reported 90 crashes, with 20 injuries. There were no fatalities. Four were alcohol related. There were 65 DUI violations, 836 speed citations, 43 child seat citations, 135 seat belt citations and 2,134 other citations.

Troop L, which includes Schuylkill County, had 78 crashes with one fatality and 11 injuries. Eight of the crashes were alcohol related. The troop had 33 DUI violations, 744 speed citations, seven child seat violations and 47 seat belt citations. There were 944 other violations.