YORK, Pa. — Thanksgiving week is one of the most dangerous times to be on the roads, and local officials are preparing for an increase in crashes and DUI arrests.
Pennsylvania State Police troopers investigated a total of 979 crashes, four of which were fatal, over the course of the five-day Thanksgiving holiday week in 2023. Alcohol was reportedly a factor in 73 of those crashes.
Troopers arrested 542 people for driving under the influence and issued over 18,000 citations, including more than 10,000 speeding citations. All were increases from 2022.
Local officials, such as York County Traffic Safety Specialist Missy Sweitzer, say law enforcement will be ready for yet another surge.
"It's one of the most dangerous evenings because a lot of people don't have to go to work the next day," Sweitzer said. "Whether it's roving enforcements, checkpoints, traffic enforcements, whatever it is, they're going to be out there in numbers because they know that there are more impaired drivers out on the roadway typically this week than normal."
Sweitzer says she is personally motivated by the death of her son Zachary, who was killed in 2008 early on Thanksgiving morning by an impaired driver.
"My greatest motivation is to try to keep other families from having to live the nightmare that we live every single day," Sweitzer said.
Sweitzer will host a blood drive on Black Friday at Genesis Church in North Codorus Township in honor of her son and former Loganville Fire Chief Rodney Miller
Many local law enforcement agencies are participating in the "Decide to Ride" initiative, which sees Wilsbach Distributors and Stella Artois team up with law enforcement to cover participants' rides home by offering three $5 Uber vouchers.