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    PennDOT, Safety Partners Highlight ‘Operation Safe Holiday’

    December 08, 2025

    Montoursville, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Highway Safety Network, Williamsport Area School District, the Williamsport High School Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Club, and the Lycoming County Sheriff’s office held a media event today to highlight the dangers of impaired driving through the holiday season.

    The safety partners teamed up for a traffic crash themed holiday tree, honoring those who lost their lives in impaired driving, teen driving, and overall crashes last year in Lycoming County.

    From Wednesday, November 19 through the end of the year, Pennsylvania State Police, along with municipal agencies statewide, will participate in “Operation Safe Holiday,” the holiday season impaired driving campaign. High visibility enforcement efforts such as roving DUI patrols and sobriety checkpoints will be conducted to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities involving an impaired driver.

    SADD Club students decorated a traffic crash themed holiday tree with each tree ornament and light representing a traffic crash statistic that occurred during 2024 in Lycoming County including:

    • Lights representing the 897 reportable crashes.
    • 98 snowflakes representing crashes involving a 16-, 17-, or 18-year-old driver.
    • 114 gingerbread cookies representing overall impaired driving crashes.
    • Seven gold ornaments representing impaired driving fatalities.
    • 18 red ornaments representing impaired driving suspected serious injuries.

    The tree will remain on display at the Williamsport High School Library throughout the holiday to bring awareness to dangerous driving behaviors. During the event, the representation of each decoration was explained, and signs were placed near the tree for visitors to view.

    PennDOT reminds motorists that impaired driving crashes are 100 percent preventable and asks drivers to keep themselves, their families, and other motorists safe by designating a sober driver or not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

    For more information, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/safety.

    Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Tioga, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour, and Columbia counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District3.

    Follow PennDOT news on X, Facebook and Instagram.

    MEDIA CONTACT: Kim Smith, kiasmit@pa.gov or 570-368-4344

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