PennDOT and PA Police Partner to Keep Holiday Travelers Safe On The Road

From the PennDOT press release just a reminder to be safe during your holiday travels this year. The holiday travel season always sees an increase in accidents and you can also expect more traffic tickets as police and state officials attempt to keep those accidents down and drivers safe.

PennDOT, Police Partner to Keep Holiday Season Travel Safe
		11/17/2011
	Enforcement to Focus on Impaired, Aggressive Driving and Seat Belt Use Harrisburg – PennDOT and police across Pennsylvania will partner for "Operation Safe Holiday," an aggressive effort to keep travelers safe this holiday season. Through early January, police will use sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and regular traffic safety patrols to crack down on motorists who are speeding, driving aggressively or driving while impaired. Pennsylvania will also conduct Click It or Ticket seat-belt enforcement from Nov. 18 to Dec. 4. "With more vehicles on our roadways, motorists must be especially vigilant during the holiday travel season," said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch. "Travelers should buckle up, drive safely, avoid distractions and never drive impaired." PennDOT reports that Thanksgiving continues to be the leading holiday for traffic crashes. There were 4,380 crashes and 55 fatalities last year during that period, which includes the weekends before and after the holiday. Of those, 535 crashes were alcohol-related. During the Christmas and New Year travel periods, there were a combined 2,035 crashes and 19 fatalities. PennDOT encourages motorists to make sure they are well-rested and alert before traveling. Travelers should also rotate drivers and take frequent breaks. Motorists should allow extra time for travel and expect to encounter traffic delays. As weather and road conditions can worsen quickly at this time of year, motorists should always check the forecast for their entire route and make sure their vehicle is equipped with a winter emergency kit and tires with good traction. Weather and travel information for more than 2,900 miles of state roads is available by calling 511 or visiting www.511pa.com before leaving home. Learn more about Operation Safe Holiday by visiting www.DriveSafePA.org. Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews.

PennDOT Drivers License enhanced security features get one step closer to Federal Real-ID

PennDOT Drivers License enhanced security features overview.

PennDOT began using a new driver's license & ID security feature on December 5, 2011. This new license and ID security feature can be used to ensure valid identification to those tasked with checking ID. Pennsylvania is the first state to use this security feature on Driver's License and ID cards. This verification will not show a suspended driver's license status, but only prove that the license was issued by the state and is not a fake license or fake ID. You can get the new ID by going to your closest PennDOT License Center found here.

WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
The new security feature is a black and white hologram, wherein “PA” sits inside the Keystone symbol surrounded by a circle. To view a sample driver’s license with the new security feature, visit PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website at www.dmv.state.pa.us under the Identity/Security Information Center.

WHY IS PENNDOT ADDING THIS NEW SECURITY FEATURE?
With an already impressive array of security features, PennDOT added this new element to driver’s  licenses and photo IDs in order to provide a quick, easy form of identification verification - even under limited light - to bars, banks, law enforcement and others. An on-going process, the addition of this  latest feature is indicative of PennDOT’s efforts to improve security and to mitigate counterfeiting while providing a security feature that people can easily see.

WHERE WILL THE NEW LICENSE & ID SECURITY FEATURE BE PLACED ON THE DRIVER’S LICENSE/IDENTIFICATION  CARDS?
The new security feature includes two symbols that will be placed over both photo images on the  driver’s license and identification card.

WHAT IS SO UNIQUE ABOUT THE NEW PENNSYLVANIA DRIVER'S LICENSE/ID SECURITY ELEMENT?
Produced by state-of-the-art holographic technology; this feature is designed to suppress the color  spectrum "rainbow" of normal holography. The result is the striking effect of a black versus white hologram  at high resolution. The black and white areas reverse when viewing angle is changed by 90 degrees and  is visible in bright, moderate and low-light environments.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF I HAVE A DRIVER’S LICENSE/IDENTIFICATION CARD WITH THE NEW FEATURE?

• View the driver’s license or photo identification so that the Pennsylvania Keystone can be seen. Note that the feature is colorless and appears black and white. Without changing the angle of the viewing, rotate the card 90 degrees left or right.
• The black and white elements will switch; the black becoming white and the white becoming black within the design. 
• For night time or low light authentication, use a flashlight held at about a 30 to 60 degree angle to the card surface so that the feature appears.
• Rotate either the card or the flashlight 90 degrees and the feature will switch the black and white elements within its design.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE A PENNSYLVANIA DRIVER’S LICENSE/IDENTIFICATION CARD WITH THE NEW FEATURE?
Since Pennsylvania driver’s licenses and identification cards are issued on a four-year cycle, it will take four years for every Pennsylvania driver’s license/identification card holder to have a product with the new security feature.

IF I DON’T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL I RENEW, HOW DO I GET A PENNSYLVANIA DRIVER’S LICENSE/IDENTIFICATION CARD WITH THE NEW SECURITY FEATURE?
You can complete an Application for Change/Correction/Replacement of Non-Commercial Driver’s License (DL-80) or an Application to Replace/Correct Commercial Driver’s License (DL-80CD) and pay the applicable fee.  These applications can be downloaded from PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website or you may contact your local PennDOT License Center.

DO ANY OTHER STATES OR JURISDICTIONS USE THIS NEW SECURITY FEATURE ON DRIVER’S LICENSES OR PHOTO IDS?
No. Pennsylvania is the first state in the USA to use this new security feature on driver’s licenses and IDs.


This is a step in the right direction toward enhanced ID cards, or the US Real ID program. This will allow you to use a state issued ID as a replacement for a passport when travelling to certain destinations around the world. This will not show weather a driver's license has been suspended or revoked, it will also not allow someone to travel outside of the United States just yet.

The REAL ID Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 2005, was an attempt to create nationwide minimum standards for states to issue driver’s licenses and ID cards. The law requires changes to state standards, procedures and requirements for the issuance of driver’s licenses and identification cards, if they are to be accepted as identity documents by the federal government.

The United States Department of Homeland Security (U.S. DHS) issued the final REAL ID regulations on Jan. 11, 2008. Under the final REAL ID regulations, only REAL ID-compliant driver’s license and identification cards were to be accepted for official federal purposes, i.e. boarding a commercial aircraft, entering a nuclear power plant or federal facility that requires identification on or after the original full compliance deadline of May 11, 2008, unless states requested and were granted an initial extension by the U.S. DHS. Pennsylvania was granted an initial extension to complete an analysis of the final regulations and to determine whether the commonwealth would participate in REAL ID. This allowed Pennsylvania residents to continue using PA driver’s licenses and identification cards as ID for official federal purposes through Dec. 31, 2009.

Pennsylvania requested a second extension in November 2009. The U.S. DHS granted the commonwealth the second extension in December 2009 to implement the federal REAL ID Act, which allowed Pennsylvania residents to continue using PA driver’s licenses and identification cards as ID for official federal purposes, as defined above, to May 10, 2011.

Requesting and being granted the two extensions by U.S. DHS did not commit the commonwealth to comply with the REAL ID Act.

In March 2011, the U.S. DHS announced that the deadline for full compliance with the REAL ID Act had been extended from May 10, 2011 to Jan. 15, 2013, which means Pennsylvania residents can continue using their PA driver’s licenses and identification cards as ID for official federal purposes through this date.

Regardless of what happens with REAL ID, Pennsylvania remains committed to continuously taking steps to enhance the security of its driver’s license and identification card products, processes and systems to mitigate fraud and identity theft.

Speeding Enforcement Nabs 228 With Help of Pennsylvania State Police

In late September the Upper Darby police targeted a section of Township Line road for specific speeding enforcement. This section of road has been a problem with speeders and unsafe drivers. The enforcement of the speeding laws was needed because of the problem with speeders in this specific area of Pennsylvania.

With the State Police operating the radar guns and the local Upper Darby police issuing the citations, the joint project of local and state police were able to stop 228 motorists for violating the stated speed limit by 15 MPH or more and issues citations that would result in fines and points on their license. 

Kudos to the joint effort of the police forces. They have done their jobs, they have stopped the violators, the drivers left that stop more aware of their driving habits. They did a great job stopping those 228 motorists, getting them pulled over and reminded of the laws they may have been breaking. Finding a problem area and protecting the public from a potential threat is exactly what our police forces should be doing. Thank You!

So far a large number of that in violation had their hearings and Judge Cullen has dismissed the charges with issuing these drivers a warning. Now Police Superintendant Michael Chitwood is upset that the judge took the action of issuing the warnings rather than finding guilt and taking fines from each of the drivers caught in the special targetted speed traps.

“To me, it’s irresponsible and unacceptable, especially when you’re dealing with public safety and potential injury that can be caused by speeding,” Chitwood said. “It’s ridiculous to throw 56 tickets out when speeding is a major, major problem. Judge Cullen threw them all out, discharged them all, because there was no state trooper in the courtroom.

My concern is that the police are pushing too hard for punishment over enforcing the law and protecting the public. The rules are in place to protect us and give a guideline to punish the offender, and the judge is hired by voters to best decide how far those punishments need to go. In the case of these 228 tickets, the judge has decided, on 56 of them, that there was no reason to push the punishment further. The main reason given was the State trooper did not show for the hearings, and this was enough of a reason so far. Even if Judge Cullen dismisses the rest of the violators who request hearings, they have still doled out points and fines to those who did not, or could not, request hearings. This also made those who were stopped, slow down, pay attention, and become aware that their actions effect those around them. Still a big win, and sucking the fine money or adding points to their license was not necessary to get their point across for others to slow down and drive safe.

Chitwood’s letter to Williams cited the 30 pending speeding cases scheduled before Cullen on Dec. 6; six more are scheduled for Dec. 13. Fifteen additional tickets, initially scheduled for Nov. 29, will be continued to another date because Cullen will not be hearing cases that day.

What do you think? Should these speeders automatically be hit with all the penalties, or should we trust the judge to do what is in the best interest of the public in these cases?

Watch Out For those School Busses

It's getting dark earlier and school students have more after school activities leading to more children heading home later in the dusk hours. Keep an eye out for those flashing lights and be extra aware of the kids getting off the bus! Flashing red school bus lights mean PAY ATTENTION! You don't want to take the chance of going through these flashing lights, it could be detrimental to your driver's license and even worse, the kids getting off the bus!

§ 3345. Meeting or overtaking school bus.
(a) Duty of approaching driver when red signals are flashing.–Except as provided in subsection (g), the driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking any school bus stopped on a highway or trafficway shall stop at least ten feet before reaching the school bus when the red signal lights on the school bus are flashing and the side stop signal arms are activated under section 4552(b.1) (relating to general requirements for school buses). The driver shall not proceed until the flashing red signal lights are no longer actuated. In no event shall a driver of a vehicle resume motion of the vehicle until the school children who may have alighted from the school bus have reached a place of safety. The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection at which a school bus is stopped shall stop his vehicle at that intersection until the flashing red signal lights are no longer actuated.

The important part is to remember that you should slow down when children are present, and be extra aware of your surroundings to prevent a horrible accident. Stay at least 10 feet behind the bus with flashing lights, and you can always use your flashers to remind other drivers to pay attention. Drive Safe!

Christmas Eve 2011 brings worried parents of new drivers a safe new gift

In this new age of iPods, in car TV’s and social networking young drivers have more distractions than ever. Lawmakers have heard the call of worried adults and victims of these types of accidents and have written a new attempt at restrictions to help guide our youth. It may not be enough because there is still not laws barring teens from Texting and driving.  Distractions can come in all types and this is a good attempt to keep our teen drivers attentive to the road and without points, suspensions and accidents on their license. All of these new precautions will take effect December 24, 2011.

 “Behind-the-wheel” time for learners permit holders under the age of 18 years of age increased from 50 hours to 65 hours. It will now require 10 hours of night time driving, while the other five additional hours must be driven in poor weather conditions. This slight change can definitely help parents and guardians realize their participation. The need to expose young brains to different situations while behind the wheel of a 4,000 lb machine is more important than I think some realize.

 

Further changes to the youth driver’s law have tried to address the common practice of piling all your friends into the car and head out to the Wawa or a concert venue. Current law limits drivers under the age of 18 to transporting no more passengers than the number of seat belts in the vehicle. While this may seem like common sense, we all know teens do not come equipped with common sense.

New Rules For PA Work License with DUI

It looks like the Pennsylvania State Government is working to make the PA Work License or Occupational Limited License more available, but with tighter restrictions, to 1st and 2nd time DUI violations. Under the new regulations the fee for a work license application will go up from $50 to $100 which seems more than reasonable considering how much work the employees at PennDOT must do for each application. This fee is not refundable, and experience has shown that finding out if you are eligible for the license is a bit on the tricky side. I talk to dozens of people every week who tell me they can't get a straight answer if they qualify for the Occupational License, and I have to set most straight on reasons they may be disqualified or on how we can get them qualified or the work license.

The proposed new regulations would also require a first time DUI violation to get the limited license after serving a set time of suspension and would require the instillation and maintenance of the Ignition Interlock system. The ignition interlock system is a system to prevent the starting and operation of a vehicle by anyone who can not pass a breath test. The system measures blood alcohol levels through a breathalyzer and prevent the start of the vehicle. The interlock system also requires re-test during the extended operation of the vehicle, and will provide a shutdown if the test is ignored or failed. This is a basic prevention measure and is a good first step toward recovery, and not a horrible choice to allow violators a break without being too much of an obstruction.

You can find the full text of the proposed regulations and changes to the Occupational Limited License Law below. Please share your thoughts about requiring the interlock system for first and second time DUI offenders. Is it too much of a restriction or should more be done to prevent violators from driving?

PA Work License - Occupational License - Bread & Butter License new DUI rules

PA Offering No Charge Vehicle & License Replacement After Flood

Because of recent flooding in some parts of the Pennsylvania, Transportation Secretary of Transportation, Barry J. Schoch, P.E. announced that PennDOT will offer victims of the flooded areas replacement driver license and vehicle products at no charge. This should help ease the burden of those that lost everything during the hurricane and subsequent rain storms that swelled the banks of local rivers and streams. If you are having issues with your license, and you need duplicate forms or records, they are not included in the no charge replacement program, but you can always complete request forms to get your pa driving records replaced.

Flooded Drivers get License & Vehicle Docs Replaced Free

Pennsylvania driver license products include duplicate licenses, learner’s permits and photo identification cards. Motor vehicle products include replacement PA license plates and registration stickers; registration cards; duplicate PA titles and person with disability placards.

As part of the PA Governor’s response to flood damaged areas in the Pennsylvania Counties, effective Sept. 8; PennDOT has authorized an extension of the expiration dates for licenses, identification cards and vehicle inspections/registrations. The expiration date for vehicle registration and inspections scheduled to expire on Sept. 30 has been extended until Oct. 14. The expiration date for driver licenses and identification cards scheduled to expire between Sept. 8 and Oct. 13, has been extended until Oct. 14.

Only those customers in areas identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as having been affected by flooding are eligible for the extension. Please visit the FEMA website for identified areas at www.fema.gov or the Pennsylvania Emergency Management (PEMA) website at www.pema.state.pa.us.

PennDOT services for flood victims are available at Photo License Centers around the state but also, to assist flood victims with their motor vehicle and other disaster-related issues, FEMA and PEMA have established Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). DRCs are currently located in the following counties: Bradford County; Columbia County; Dauphin County; Luzerne County; Lycoming County; Sullivan County and Wyoming County. To apply for a replacement driver license or motor vehicle products, customers need to complete a PennDOT MV-Flood form, available at disaster recovery centers or online Driver License Flood FormsNote that products will not be issued on site at the DRCs. Products will be mailed or made available for pick-up at local Driver Licensing Centers.

License Suspended For Not Paying a No Insurance Ticket - Paid But License Still Suspended, WHY?

My driver's license was suspended for driving without insurance/license and not showing up for court dates. I did have my license and insurance at the time but did not have my wallet with me. I was wondering how much it will cost me to reinstate my driver's license and if I might have to take the driver's test over again or not. If I have documentation that I had a license and insurance at the time would it help me? I'm in Pennsylvania if that helps. Any answers are greatly appreciated.

You have two Pennsylvania license suspension issues here. The first is that you did not respond to a traffic citation. When that happens a notice (DL-38) was sent to PennDOT informing them of your "failure to respond" and PennDOT suspended your driving privilege. This type of suspension is a "Indefinite Suspension" and as soon as you respond to the court it should be lifted. The notice you received from PennDOT told you to respond to remove the suspension, and you responded by paying the citation. This payment also included a plea of guilty to the violation of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code §1786(f). This guilty plea caused problem number 2 for you.


Once you responded to the above ticket by paying the fine and pleading guilty, your suspension for the "failure to respond" was removed. PennDOT was then notified of the conviction for 1786(f)f and you were hit with a driver license suspension for 3 months. So the new suspension is for a set term of 3 months, and you have to surrender your license to PennDOT to start the clock toward that time.


To restore your license after the three months it will cost you a restoration fee ranging from $25 - $100 (depending on your specific violation) and you will need to prove that you have current automobile insurance.


If you had insurance at the time of your stop, you may be able to have the suspension time removed and have your driving privilege restored sooner. Give me a call to find out more, and I can go over your options on how to get this mess cleared.


There are a series of violations that will result in suspension time just by paying the fine. You should always make sure you know the full penalty before paying fines and pleading guilty to any charge.

Drunk Driver Crackdown Will Lead to Increased DUI's

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20110816_Drunk_driver_crackdown_starts_Friday.html


"Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over"
"Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest"
"Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving"
Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk

Just some of the slogans your going to see running on TV, radio, and billboards over the next few months. There is a big push for driver safety and sober driving as the area rolls out it's new ad campaign. These ads will be backed up by larger police presence and DUI checkpoints all over the region.

DUI enforcement schedule

Provided by NHTSA

New PA Bill Allows Driver’s License Suspension for Failure to Pay Restitution

Here is another case where lawmakers have a very short sighted idea of the driving privilege, and being able to remove that privilege to enforce a civil penalty may cause more harm than good. State Representative Keith Gillespie from the 47th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives is trying to give assistance to the damaged parties in auto related violations. His plan is to enact a drivers license suspension on the defendant who has been found guilty, and had additional penalties imposed by the judge to compensate the damaged victim.

The idea sounds great as a tool to make the violator feel more pressure to pay all monies owed. As it stands right now, a license suspension can be enforced for non payment of the courts fine and costs, but not for damages owed. A license suspension in PA can also be established for failing to pay a civil judgment if the resident was sued for an automobile accident.

I do not agree that any of these monetary civil issues should result in a license suspension, or there should be other options to prevent the additional burden to the state and the driver. Adding indefinite license suspension time does not help anyone, and actually causes greater harm.

Should what is essentially a civil matter be enforced through state resources? PennDOT is currently looking at ways to make cuts and reduce operating costs. Adding additional operation expenses by increasing license suspension administration should not be happening. I understand that the safety of the residents is the primary concern, but calling for increased administration costs for a civil matter is not the right way to do it. Making a victim "whole" as State Representative Keith Gillespie put it, should not be put on the back of our Department of Transportation or government. There are processes that a victim can take to collect any monies that may be owed arising from damages by the defendant, if those processes are not adequate, then do something about that rather than adding legislation and adding additional burden to the tax payers.

The system of assessing a drivers license suspension for monitary penalties is wrong for the defendant and victim as well. This system has been studied and there is no determination that suspended a drivers license help with collection of monies owed. In fact, a according to a survey of suspended drivers conducted by researchers at Rutgers University, many respondents with a history of license suspension experienced

employment impacts resulting from their driers license suspension:

• 42 percent of survey respondents with a history of suspension lost their jobs when they had their driving privileges suspended.  Job loss was  experienced across all income and age groups; however it as most significant among low-income and younger drivers.   

• 45 percent of those that lost their job because of a suspension could not find another job. This was true cross all income and age groups but most pronounced among low-income and older drivers.

• Of those that were able to find another job, 88 percent reported a decrease in income. This was true in all income and age groups but most significant among low-income drivers. 
  All above information was provided by the MOTOR VEHICLES AFFORDABILITY AND FAIRNESS TASK FORCE

Taking the financial situation of the defendant into consideration, asking them to make payment on any money owed, and reducing their income at the same time can not seem sensible to any reasonable person. In addition to adding hardship to the defendant by reducing their income, you also reduce their contributions to the state thereby reducing taxable income that only magnifies the issues with the additional costs to Pennsylvania.

3rd issue - no access to alternatives. This could alleviate number two, but cause an increase in number 1 if you allowed access to the Occupational Limited License. There is a middle ground that is already in place in Pennsylvania. The Occupational Limited License (OLL) or Work License is a restricted license that allows a suspended driver the ability to continue to work, attend school, or get to medical treatments. This restricted license can allow a defendant to continue working, earning income, and leave them with some hope of pulling themselves out of the hole. This would be a great opportunity to have this restricted license count for financial violations, and give some of these residents access to employment opportunities that may not be there with a full license suspension. This restricted license will also give the victim hope that they will be compensated for the damages, so it would be a win for both defendants and victims.

Please write to your state representative and tell them about how this limited license can be the answer to both problems. Let the reps know your feeling so they can vote accordingly!

More Information;
PA House Representatives
Drivers License Suspension Help
State Representative Keith Gillespie

PennDOT survey got me thinking about DUI penalties.

PennDOT would like you help in completing a survey on driving safety and responsibility. There are a series of questions about driving habits and some general demographic questions. Completing this survey will help PennDOT decide where to concentrate improvement and enforcement in the future.

Driving Survey

I took the survey and it took me less than 5 minutes. There are some tricky questions that do not have clear answers, but I don't think it was meant to be an exact representation. I also skipped the motorcycle portion of the survey as I do not drive a motorcycle.

From the questions I can see where PennDOT is going. They are looking to see if their marketing efforts are having an impact on perceived driver safety and I believe they want to find out where the general public views issues. PennDOT is also asking about what laws you may be interested in regarding DUI with ignition interlock for a first offence, and making seat belt violations a primary offence. Both of these will make maintaining your rivers license more difficult, but may result in safer roadways.

I personally agree that adding a requirement for first time DUI offenders must have the ignition interlock system installed, but only if there is less license suspension time required as a result. This requirement will improve safety and restrict the second time offenders, at the same time allow for a previously licensed driver to continue to work and earn to pay for the fines and costs associated to DUI. The inclusion of an ignition interlock requirement will also teach a driver how quickly you can be impaired by alcohol by showing them their BAC at the same time preventing them from driving drunk.

I do not like violations that cause the double penalty of heavy fines and license suspension for a single mistake. A Pennsylvania resident should never have to be homeless because of penalties of a single mistake, but requiring heavy fines as well as an expensive breathalyzer in addition to a license suspension is a burden that very few can bear at one time. This situation can result in a resident having to pay much more than what they can afford, and not being able to maintain employment or education, causing even more problems with money. This downward spiral can continue with no easy way out, and this is what I would seek to prevent.

Follow-up to Uniform Traffic Ticket email scam

Traffic Ticket Email Scam - Uniform Traffic Ticket Email New York

Yesterday I posted about an email scam that hit my inbox. The "Uniform Traffic Ticket" scam is reported to be spreading virus and malicious software to users who open the email. This email is bad new, but some have asked where to report the scam, and who might be interested. Please remember that you will never receive a traffic ticket through email. Your local DMV will not request information about you through email, and no state will notify you of a violation of their laws through emails.


Usually I would suggest reporting the scam email to the authority the email claims to be fome. This usually involves a bank or business of some type. In this case it is the state of NY so I would start with the NY Attorney General office. They may be interested to know that someone is posing at the State of New York to try to scam email users and spread nasty stuff.
http://www.ag.ny.gov/contact.html

You can also try contacting the Internet Crime Complaint Center. They are a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). And I think all three would have a hand in researching this "Uniform Traffic Ticket" email scam.


They can be found online http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

Traffic Ticket Email Scam

Keep an eye out for this one, as it's the first time I've seen it before. I got an email that said "UNIFORM TRAFFIC TICKET" with an attachment. The body of the email stated that I had violated a New York traffic law of traveling over 55 MPH or in common terms speeding!


I have not been in New York in a long time, and I knew that YOU WILL NEVER GET A TRAFFIC TICKET BY EMAIL, so I knew this was a scam. There was an attachment that I was required to download, I'm sure that once I downloaded the attachment I was in for computer trouble or it was going to ask for personal information. If they get your personal information, it will them be possible to create a fake drivers license and rack up tickets and even suspension time on your driving record. It may also lead to other greater identity fraud problems that can effect your credit and criminal records. Keep an eye out for this scam traffic ticket email, and make sure you delete it. You don't have to worry about any potential tickets being emailed to you....ever!

Traffic ticket scam email about NYC traffic tickets.

The body of the traffic violation email below.

New York State — Department of Motor Vehicles UNIFORM TRAFFIC TICKET POLICE AGENCY NEW YORK STATE POLICE Local Police Code

THE PERSON DESCRIBED ABOVE IS CHARGED AS FOLLOWS Time 7:25 AM Date of Offense 07/02/2011 IN VIOLATION OF NYS V AND T LAW Description of Violation SPEED OVER 55 ZONE TO PLEAD, PRINT OUT THE ENCLOSED TICKET AND SEND IT TO TOWN COURT, CHATAM HALL., PO BOX 117

As you can see it is not a very sophisticated email, and it was easy to note that I was nowhere near New York on the date specified. Some people may have some questions, and will look toward the attachment for more information. This is how the virus spreads. Once again, traffic tickets that can affect your license will never be sent to you through email, so  know that it is always a scam when you see something like this.

Email scams and virus hoaxes are getting more common. The number of infected computers, and users falling for scams are growing. Please be careful of any attachments in email that you get, and make sure your virus scanning software is up to date.

PA looking to save money be extending drivers license renewal from 4 to 8 years.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett tasked the different state agencies with saving our state money by cutting costs wherever we can. There have been ideas rolling about in Harrisburg for months on how to best go about these cost cutting moves, and the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission submitted a big one this month.

PA license renewal may go from 4 to 8 years

PennDOT suggested that doubling the time a valid drivers license can be held between renewals from 4 years to 8 years, and removing the requirement for registration stickers, this will save the state over $6 million a year.
PennDOT spokesperson Dennis Buterbaugh said "If you cut down on the processing, if you cut down on the printing, then all those things add up."

This plan seems great at first, but one of the factors that may be overlooked is what else happens at the 4 year mark, and prior to a drivers license being renewed. If there is any type of hold from an out of state violation, then the driver will have time to clear that sanction. Per the NDR Fact Sheet

In order to allow a driver who is renewing a commercial or non-commercial driver’s license time to resolve a sanction(s) in another state(s), PennDOT will check NDR six months prior to the expiration of an individual’s driver’s license.

If an individual’s driving privilege is sanctioned in another state(s), PennDOT will send a notification letter to the individual providing the name and contact number for the state(s) where the sanction(s) exists.

PennDOT will also check NDR three months prior to expiration of an individual’s driver’s license, and if a sanction still exists, a second notification letter will be sent to the individual. 

The six and three month notification letters allow an individual time to take the necessary steps to clear his/her driving record prior to applying to renew his/her Pennsylvania driver’s license.

What the average Pennsylvania driver will loose is the protection from an out of state moving violation causing damage to their driving record. Under the current system, every four years they would be notified of any problems, given a change to fix those problems, and have their license renewed. If drivers license renewals were extended to 8 years, then these traffic tickets can fester for a much longer time, and they become exponentially harder to rectify and clear.

In my business I talk to hundred of drivers who have been given tickets in another state, and those tickets need to be resolved to clear the sanction in Pennsylvania, if those tickets are not handled quickly you begin to see records disappear, officials change, and more headache for the motorist. Then when searching out how and who can give the proper paperwork to the Pennsylvania DOT, the more time that passes the more work and effort needed to correct the issue.

Allowing 8 years in between that check will also allow those who want to work around the system the opportunity to take advantage of our Department of Transportation. Once a drivers license has been obtained, with no external checks for sanctions or suspensions, that license lasting for eight years will attract potential violators from other states. These drivers will know that if they have a pending license suspension in Maryland, they can run to Pennsylvania prior to the suspension going into effect to get a valid license that will last for long enough to get past their Maryland infractions. We may start to see a rush of out of state violators flock to Pennsylvania to get that long lasting drivers license with no regular checks for these type of suspension sanctions.

Another issue with extension of the drivers license renewal is the lack of updated information. Police rely on addresses from the DOT for their daily work. Even with that information being updated every 4 years it is not the most reliable, and residents often move and relocate without notifying the Department of Transportation. You can see where there might be a problem extending this to 8 years without adding some type of provision for address and residency. In the Reading Eagle article by author Liam Migdail-Smith
Birdsboro police Chief Theodore R. Roth, president of the Berks County Chiefs of Police Association. Officers use photos and license information to identify and locate individuals.

"The more recent the picture the better," he said.

While people are required to notify PennDOT if they move, Roth said, many don't. With the current license rules, police at least know a person's information was updated in the last four years.

"If you're not going to make them renew for eight years, God knows how old that address is," Roth said.


So I am not the only one who has a concern about out of date addresses and record information. The article goes on to state;

Department officials project that combined those three plans would save PennDOT about $6.5 million a year.

Drivers would pay double the price they normally would to renew their licenses or registrations. But instead of licenses expiring in four years and registrations in one year, licenses would be good for eight years and registrations for two years.

While that means doubling the time between photo updates, department officials aren't too concerned that people's appearances will change more dramatically in eight years than four.

"We don't think it will be a factor," Buterbaugh said.

Overall I would be interested to see what factors were taken into account with this plan. I think it can be a wonderful option for residents if there are other checks put into place to cover the above issues, but this may negate the meat of the proposed savings of this plan by PennDOT.

Lawyer Sues Philly After His Daughter Stranded By Philadelphia ‘Live Stop’

The Philadelphia "Live Stop" program is in place to impound vehicles of people stopped for driving vehicles with suspended registration, no insurance, or with a suspended license. We know how frequesnt these things take place, and how much of an impact each of these violations have on everyone, but is impounding a vehicle, possibly causing damage, and leaving a person stranded the right thing to do?

Philadelphia implemented the "Live Stop" program in 1998 to help lower the cost of auto insurance in the region. Have you seen rates considerably lower than surrounding counties? The live stop program bring in a ton of money for the city. How many vehicles and additional fees and fines do you think are collected by Philadelphia because of the confiscated, towed, and stored cars and trucks?

Once this system took hold of the entire city in the early 2000's there was no turning back. After purchasing the equipment, setting aside facilities, and hiring staff, there is no easy way for the city to reverse their decision. They are in to the program now and happily suckling at the teat of the helpless motorist. Even a small paperwork infraction, missed payment, or bureaucratic error can lead to additional multiples of fines and fees, and this could cripple any of the struggling families in the Philadelphia neighborhoods.

Attorney Stephen Sheller is suing the City of Philadelphia over this practice of "Live Stop" for stranding his daughter after driving his car with expired registration. She was not the owner of the vehicle, I do not know for sure, but I guess the vehicle was not in poor condition, she was not a hazard to other motorists, and yet the officer decided it was in the cities best interest to impound the vehicle and get this young woman off the road. By impouinding the vehicle they left Attorney Sheller's daughter and her fiancé stranded in West Philadelphia. Sheller claims the neighborhood where the young couple was left was unsafe, and I understand that contention. With the number of violent acts in the Philadelphia region over the last few months, I would not want to be left alone with no transportation in most areas of the city.
More information on Attorney Shiller's suit can be found at http://goo.gl/zbPQi

I do not think the "Live Stop" program should go away completely, and in some cases I think it is what is best for the city and residents. When a vehicle is stopped that is not registered or inspected, and shows signs of being unsafe or in disrepair, taking that vehicle off the street does everyone a favor. Likewise, when someone has a suspended license, does not care or continues to violate the law by driving with their license suspended, take the car! Make them go through the hassle, cost and issues associated with getting their car back.

Does the "Live Stop" program make sense to you? How would you enforce "Live Stop" and would you keep it the way it is right now?

Motorcycle riding safety week announced by Pennsylvania Governor

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett announced motorcycle safety month of May, and with that would like to remind everyone to be safe on the roads and aware of motorcycles. In 2010 there were more than 4000 crashes involving motorcycles and those accidents resulted in over 200 fatalities. Those numbers combined with an increase in motorcycle registrations and licensed motorcyclists leads to believe those accident numbers could increase.

I'm sure Pennsylvania residents and PennDOT would like to prevent an increase in accidents and fatalities.

 "With motorcycle use sharply on the rise, it is essential that operators of all types of vehicles look out for one another,"  said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch, P.E.

With these type of numbers, and the attention that motorcycle drivers are getting, police will be especially aware of the interaction of motorcyclists and other drivers. This could lead to increased traffic stops and citations in an effort to reduce these numbers, and increase awareness of the issues facing our two wheeled road users.



As part of their efforts to keep motorcyclists safe, PennDOT created the Live Free Ride Alive website to encourage riders to take personal responsibility for their actions on the road. The website allows motorcyclists to share personal riding stories with one another and take the "Be One Less" pledge to avoid becoming a crash statistic. www.LiveFreeRideAlive.com Free basic and experienced motorcycle safety courses are available to state residents through the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program. Taking an approved motorcycle safety training course decreases the chances of a rider being killed or injured in a crash. You can find these courses online at www.pamsp.com.

PA Governor announces spending plan for Philadelphia red light camera monies.

Today Pennsylvania Governer announced how the state plans on spending the money collected from Philadelphia red light cameras. The law allowing the 19 intersections in Philadelphia to have traffic cameras offered a aplit of the fine money evenly between the City of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania. So all those tickets given out through the program help fund projects and improvements throughout the rest of the state.

Most of the projects funded are replacing and upgrading school zone lights and signs, and upgrading red lights to LED and environmentally friendly solutions. These projects range from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand. The largest money outlay was issued to Allegheny County Pennsylvania for the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission for a total of $858,133 to make improvements in a number of distressed communities.
Montgomery County Pennsylvania got a large chunk of the funds for Hatfield Township. The township received $782,500 for traffic control upgrades. Most other projects were considerably less.

The red light camera system provided a total of $8.4 million in grants for 106 transportation projects paid with fines collected from these red light enforcement cameras all over the city of Philadelphia.
See the full list below.

Can you go to jail for driving with a PA suspended license?

Yes you can! There are many different ways that jail time can be assessed for driving with a suspended license, and if you continue to drive you can go to jail for suspended driving.

The most common reason would be for driving under suspension for a DUI related violation. This means that if you have a license suspension because of a DUI, and you are stopped driving under suspension after that DUI, then jail time is mandatory if you are convicted.

You can also go to jail for driving under suspension too many times. A judge will have the ability to asses jail time if you have been charged with driving under suspension too many times. The jail time can range in length of time, and the judge can decide based on how many times you have been convicted.

There are other violations that can result in jail time for driving, violations like driving without a license has provisions to let a judge give you jail time for driving suspended. In all of these cases you best bet is to get help!

Do not go it alone when dealing with driving under suspension or driving without a license, your freedom could be at stake!

My barber chopped my hair!

Does this phone make me look bald?

Vince

I now have very short hair, and this picture really made me notice. See, my son had a buzz cut last summer, and when I went to get my hair cut the other day...the barber used his past cut information for my current cut. By the time I noticed what she was doing.....Bzzzzzzzt!

International License - No good in PA for replacing suspended license.

You can NOT drive in Pennsylvania with an international license if your driving privilege has been suspended by the state.

There, I had to get that out of the way is a nice big font so there was no confusion.

It's a story I hear hundreds of times a month. A client got suspended by Pennsylvania for some reason, and gets the bright idea to run out and get an international license from some country that will mail a certificate permitting them to drive. Then they get hit with another driving under suspension violation!

Image provided by fairfaxcounty on Flickr

This can't be right?!? I have a license, I'm legal!

But it is correct. It's not the license that gets suspended, but it is actually the privilege to drive in the state of Pennsylvania. So no matter who gives you a piece of paper or some international license, your privilege is suspended and nobody can change that but PennDOT. That plastic card you hold is only proof to others that you do posses a privilege to drive, but even that does very little these days. Every driving record is accessible to those that matter (police, government, PennDOT) in seconds if they need it, and it has very little to do with that card. The ID card only holds the number that they use to identify you in the Pennsylvania driver records system, and that is stored on the states computers.

So next time your thinking about trying to find a loophole in the license law by getting an international license to drive after a suspension, think twice. There have been plenty to try this move before you and the DOT will not acknowledge the international license even exists.

Just Launched: Indefinite Suspension Definition, Guide, and Tips

License Restoration Services just launched a new tips page for those suffering with a Indefinite Suspension record on your driving history. Through this guide we explain the indefinite suspension definition and  give some tips on how to research these suspension type. We will also explain what options you have to make an indefinite suspension stop causing a license suspension without causing any term suspensions to be added to your record.

Indefinite Suspension Definition - A drivers license suspension that has no end date set. This type of drivers license suspension requires some action to have the suspension removed. You may also see indefinite recall or indefinite cancel on your record.

You have to be careful when clearing indefinite suspensions from your record because taking the wrong step can cause more suspension time if you end up pleading yourself guilty to a charge with suspension time as a penalty. You may only hear half of the story if you are told that paying a old ticket will remove the indefinite suspension, and you may hurt your situation by taking this action.

Let the experts do this job for you and License Restoration can present your options and gather the information you need to make the correct choice.

Here are some definitions for a few of the terms you might run across when researching your indefinite suspension.

1543 - This is the vehicle code for driving under suspension violation in Pennsylvania. A driving under suspension conviction will result in a minimum of 1 year of suspension time being added to your driving record

1786 - Driving without insurance. A guilty plea for this violation will result in an additional 3 months of suspension time being added to your driving record. This will also disqualify you from getting a limited work license.

3736 - Reckless driving. This is considered a major violation and can result in 6months to 5 years of suspension time being added to you driving record.

Just a few of the violations you should watch for when researching your indefinite suspensions. You should always choose to talk to a professional to prevent any of the hundreds of other issue that may arise with these issues.

PennDOT authorizes the purchase of special child seats.

Today PennDOT released an announcement about specialized equipment being provided for children with special transportation needs. At a cost of over $800 per seat, the equipment can be cost prohibitive to the families who need it the most. The loans of this equipment can ensure that these children who need the equipment will have it available to them.

Harrisburg – PennDOT is helping hospitals and pediatric practices statewide to
ensure children with limited mobility and other special health-care needs can
travel safely, acting Secretary Barry J. Schoch, P.E., said today.

PennDOT has invested $91,666 in state funds to purchase 111 specialized car
seats through a contract with the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy
of Pediatrics' Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA AAP TIPP).

Through the contract, 65 Hope Car Beds and 46 Snug Seat Hippo car seats were purchased. The car bed is a crash-tested seat for children with conditions such as spina bifida, scoliosis and other conditions that prevent them from being able to sit in standard car seats. Hippo seats allow children with hip casts to travel in a crash-tested seat.

Seats will be delivered to 49 hospitals and 16 pediatric practices statewide. Each pediatric practice will receive one car bed and each hospital will receive one car bed and one Hippo seat to be loaned to families and caregivers. The
seats are expected to last six to 10 years, depending on the model.

"Previously, some of these children had to go to their medical appointments in
an ambulance because traditional car seats would not keep them safe. This program will alleviate that burden for these children and their families,"
said
Schoch. "Family members or guardians shouldn't have to worry whether
children
can ride safely to medical appointments or on errands."

The seats are purchased through the Child Passenger Restraint Fund, which
is
funded by fines from violations of the child passenger safety laws. In
partnership with PennDOT, the PA AAP TIPP developed a course on the car
seats'
proper usage for the medical professionals receiving them. Approved by the
University of Pittsburgh, the course provides one credit toward the
professionals' medical licensure.

The fund is used semi-annually to purchase standard car seats for use in more
than 100 loaner programs across the state. These programs are coordinated
through police departments, pediatric practices, hospitals and other partners.
To learn more about this program, call 1-800-CAR-BELT.

Learn more about PennDOT's safety efforts by visiting www.DriveSafePA.org.

Editor's Note: Below is a list of hospitals and pediatric practices receiving
specialized seats.

Allegheny County
• Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
• The Children's Institute
• West Penn Hospital
• Magee-Women's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Armstrong County: Children's Community Pediatrics- Armstrong

Blair County: Blair Medical Associates Pediatrics

Bucks County
• Grand View Hospital
• Lower Bucks Hospital

Butler County: Children's Community Pediatrics Armstrong

Cambria County: Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center

Centre County: Centre Medical Surgical Associates

Chester County
• Chester County Hospital
• Phoenixville Hospital

Clearfield County
• Clearfield Hospital
• DuBois Regional Medical Group - DuBois
• DuBois Regional Medical Center

Delaware County: Delaware County Memorial Hospital

Erie County
• Hamot Medical Center
• Shriner's Hospital for Children
• Saint Vincent Health System

Franklin County: Chambersburg Hospital

Jefferson County: DuBois Regional Medical Group - Punxsutawney

Lackawanna County
• Moses Taylor Hospital
• Pediatrics of Northeastern PA

Lancaster County: Grace Pediatrics

Lebanon County: Good Samaritan Pediatrics

Lehigh County: Lehigh Valley Hospital

Luzerne County
• Geisinger Wyoming Valley
• Hazleton Professional Services
• Wyoming Valley Healthcare System

Mercer County
• Grove City Medical Center
• Sharon Regional Health System Main Hospital
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Horizon – Shenango Valley

Monroe County: Pocono Medical Center

Montgomery County: Pottstown Memorial Medical Center

Montour County: Geisinger - Janet Weis Children's Hospital

Northampton County: St. Luke's Hospital - Bethlehem

Schuylkill County
• Blue Mountain Pediatrics
• Schuylkill Medical Center

Tioga County: Wellsboro Pediatric Healthcare Associates

Venango County: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Northwest

Warren County: Warren Pediatrics

Washington County: Ripepi Pediatrics

Westmoreland County: Pediatric Associates- Latrobe

York County: Hanover Pediatrics