Uniontown, PA – Today the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) partnered with the Highway Safety Network, AAA East Central, a local judge, and state and local law enforcement to educate teen drivers on the consequences of unsafe driving behaviors by conducting mock traffic hearings with area high school students.
Students from California and Jefferson-Morgan High Schools went before Magisterial District Judge Michael Manfredi at the South Strabane Municipal Building for mock hearings. Pennsylvania State Police and South Strabane Township Police also took part representing the Commonwealth.
The interactive event was designed to give students a firsthand experience of the legal process related to traffic offenses. Through simulated court proceedings, they witnessed how traffic violations such as speeding and distracted driving can lead to significant consequences.
“By engaging students in a realistic courtroom setting, we hope to instill a sense of accountability and awareness of how their choices behind the wheel can impact their future,” said PennDOT District 12 Safety Press Officer Emily Swecker. “Education and awareness are key to reducing traffic crashes and fostering safer driving habits among young drivers.”
According to preliminary PennDOT data, in 2024 there were 20,219 crashes involving young drivers (any driver 20 years old or younger) in Pennsylvania, resulting in 124 fatalities.
For more information on teen driver safety, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/Safety.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/district12.
Information about infrastructure in District 12, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D12Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
Follow PennDOT on X and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACT: Emily Swecker, eswecker@pa.gov or 724-425-3018
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