Indiana, PA – In an effort to enhance the safety on Armstrong County roads for construction workers, drivers and passengers, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) have teamed up for the 2026 construction season to deploy “Operation Yellow Jacket” in highway work zones.
“Operation Yellow Jacket” places state police troopers inside PennDOT vehicles in active construction zones. While inside the vehicles, they can monitor for traffic violations such as speeding, tailgating, distracted driving, and other violations. If the trooper sees a violation, they will communicate to another trooper in a marked PSP patrol unit to initiate a traffic stop.
“Our goal isn’t to issue citations, but to encourage safe driving behaviors, not only in work zones, but on all roads.” said Pennsylvania State Police Troop D - Kittanning Station Commander Lieutenant Joseph Zandarski. “Distracted driving or aggressive driving puts everyone on our roads at risk whether they are workers, motorists or passengers.”
“We’re grateful to PSP for partnering with us on the Yellow Jacket Operations in Armstrong County,” said PennDOT Armstrong County Maintenance Manager Aaron Raible. “When you encounter work zones, please drive the posted work zone speed limit, pay attention to signs and flaggers, and be patient for your safety and the safety of highway workers.”
Operation Yellow Jacket is part of a broader effort to curb the number of work zone crashes in the region. In 2025, PennDOT recorded 1,393 work zone crashes in Pennsylvania, resulting in 12 fatalities, and 49 serious injuries. Since 1970, PennDOT has lost 93 workers in the line of duty.
State law requires drivers to slow down, turn on their headlights, and obey all posted speed limits and traffic patterns when driving through work zones. Under Title 75, Section 3326, drivers caught by police driving 11 mph or more above the posted speed limit in an active work zone, or who are involved in a crash in an active work zone and are convicted for failing to drive at a safe speed, automatically lose their license for 15 days. Fines for certain traffic violations — including speeding, driving under the influence, and failure to obey traffic devices — are doubled for active work zones. The law also provides for up to five years of additional jail time for individuals convicted of homicide by vehicle for a crash that occurred in an active work zone.
Additionally, under Paul Miller’s Law, people operating a vehicle may not use a mobile interactive device even if the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or other momentary delay. The law applies to anyone operating a motor vehicle on a roadway, including delivery drivers, ride share operators, commercial vehicle drivers, emergency vehicle drivers, or bus drivers.
Under Paul Miller’s Law, drivers can still use their phones to alert emergency responders and, if they are using hands-free technology, to make phone calls, use a GPS, and listen to music.
Paul Miller's Law went into effect last year, but for the first year police were only permitted to issue warnings. Starting June 5, violations are punishable by a fine of $50 plus costs, with a total amount of a citation over $200.
“We encourage all drivers to obey speed limits, wear your seatbelt, be aware of your surroundings, and avoid distractions that take your eyes off of the road,” said District 10 Assistant District Executive – Maintenance Matt Burkett. ““We want everyone to get home to their families and friends, so make a daily decision to drive safely.”
For more work zone safety information, please visit pa.gov/dotsafety. Pennsylvania’s New Driver Work Zone Safety Program is a free, 35-minute virtual training program that equips participants with the knowledge they need to navigate safely in work zones.
Drivers 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 1,200 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.
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, and Jefferson counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict10.
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MEDIA CONTACTS: Lieutenant Joseph Zandarski, Pennsylvania State Police, 724-543-2011 or jzandarski@pa.gov
Tina Gibbs, PennDOT, 724-357-2829 or chgibbs@pa.gov