Latest news with #OperationOrangeSqueeze
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Orange Squeeze targets work zone speeding
(WKBN) – For those who use the Pennsylvania Turnpike, be sure to watch your speed, especially while driving through construction zones. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, along with Pennsylvania State Police, is bringing back the Operation: Orange Squeeze campaign for April. Troopers will be using construction vehicles to catch people speeding through work zones. Those involved in crashes or caught driving faster than 10 miles an hour over the posted limit can face automatic license suspensions. 'This is something that is a problem that we've seen progressively getting worse for years, where people are driving unsafe in work zones. And you know, more than half of our staff, this is an office space for them,' said Crispin Havener, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Last year, there were 176 work zone crashes along the turnpike, with nearly 50 people being hurt and two fatalities. Operation Orange Squeeze has been in use for the last decade, and drivers are getting the message. Officials say that injuries are down from previous years. The operation will focus on the mainline portions of the turnpike as well as the toll sections of Interstate 376, which passes through Lawrence County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
29-03-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Pa. State Police, Turnpike Commission teaming up for Operation Orange Squeeze
State troopers will trade in their cruisers for construction vehicles in April as part of the Operation Orange Squeeze safety initiative. Troopers will, according to a press release from the Turnpike Commission, "monitor unsafe behaviors like speeding and distracted driving across work zones on the Pennsylvania Turnpike system." The Operation Orange Squeeze initiative was started nearly 10 years ago to prioritize the safety of construction workers and turnpike work crews. According to data from turnpike officials, last year saw 176 reported crashes in active turnpike work zones, resulting in two deaths and 48 injuries. "Safety has always been and will always be a key part of our culture," said Pa. Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. "As we begin another construction season, we need drivers to work with us to provide safe work zones for everyone. More than half of our employees work out in the field to ensure our roadway remains 'best in class' for our customers, and paying attention in work zones is critical to helping our workers get home safely." When Operation Orange Squeeze resumed after the pandemic in April 2023, troopers issued more than 430 citations and nearly 400 warnings to drivers disobeying the law, the news release added. "The importance of programs like Operation Orange Squeeze is not necessarily enforcement but the safety aspect and how important it is to slow down and pay attention," said Cpl. Richard Levan of Pennsylvania State Police Troop T. "One highway death is one too many, and that's why we urge motorists to slow down and never drive distracted, especially in work zones."
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania State Police and Turnpike launch ‘Operation Orange Squeeze' to enforce work zone safety
(WTAJ) — Pennsylvania State Police troopers will be trading in their cruisers for construction vehicles in April as part of 'Operation Orange Squeeze,' an initiative aimed at catching drivers who speed or drive distracted in Pennsylvania Turnpike work zones. The enforcement effort, which coincides with National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, allows troopers to monitor work zones from construction vehicles to catch violations. Officials say the initiative is critical, as 176 crashes occurred in active Turnpike work zones last year, resulting in two deaths and 48 injuries. The program is part of a broader effort to improve work zone safety, with Pennsylvania law imposing strict penalties for speeding or reckless driving in these areas. Drivers caught going 11 mph or more over the limit, or those involved in crashes in work zones, face automatic 15-day license suspensions. Since resuming in 2023, 'Operation Orange Squeeze' has led to hundreds of citations and warnings, and officials hope the increased enforcement will encourage drivers to slow down and pay attention. Motorists can check Turnpike traffic updates at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
