On April 15, 2017, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, coupled with Pennsylvania State Police, launched its annual work-zone safety initiative known as “Operation Orange Squeeze”.



The maximum speed limit in work areas is forty (40) miles-per-hour. Drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike should be on alert whenever they see orange, whether it be cones, signs or barrels.



According to Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mr. Mark Compton, over the last seventy years, over 30 Pennsylvania Turnpike employees have lost their lives while on the job. In the calendar year 2015, 400 motor vehicle accidents occurred in work zones along the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Finally, just over the last five years, two Pennsylvania workers were killed in accidents which occurred in work zones along the Turnpike.



In order to curb this unnecessary loss of life, Pennsylvania State Troopers will be confronting the issue of speeding motorists in work zones in a new manner. According to the commander of the Pennsylvania State Police Troop charged with Turnpike patrols, Captain Gregory Bacher, troopers will be dispatched in tandem to target speeding vehicles in work zones. One trooper will be positioned in an orange turnpike construction vehicle. Another trooper will be strategically located just outside the work zone positioned to pull over offenders and issue citations. From the construction vehicles, the troopers will be monitoring speeds of vehicles traveling through the work zones and alerting the other trooper located outside the work zone.



Now, just to give you an idea of how effective the Pennsylvania State Police have been in curbing speeding in work zones, take note of the following statistic: more than 6,000 citations were issued along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in work zones in the year 2015 alone. Furthermore, this is not the first time the Turnpike Commission and State Police have united for Operation Orange Squeeze to combat the problem of speeding in work zones. So, what does this mean for drivers traveling along the Pennsylvania Turnpike? Mainly that the two agencies are prepared and experienced in aggressively confronting this issue head on.



If caught in the “Squeeze”, motorists could face significant penalties. Fines for certain traffic violations in an active work zone, including speeding, are doubled. More importantly, if you are caught driving 11 miles per hour above the posted speed limited in an active work zone, you will lose your license for 15 days. Because this requires you to physically surrender your license to PennDOT upon being convicted, it will likely (see, definitely) take longer than 15 days before you actually get your license back and can then legally drive again in Pennsylvania.  Add to all this the fact that you also face the imposition of a 5-point penalty on your driving record, and it should be clear why speeding in a Pennsylvania work zone is such a risky (and needless) proposition.



If you are caught by Operation Orange Squeeze, the attorneys at Howland, Hess, Guinan, Torpey, Cassidy & O’Connell, LLP can assist you through the legal process and help you understand your rights and what defenses are available. Please call to setup an initial free consultation at (215) 947-6240, or contact us online.



Legal Disclaimer: The contents of this website are intended solely for informational purposes. They neither constitute nor imply an official legal opinion on behalf of Howland, Hess, Guinan, Torpey, Cassidy and O’Connell, LLP nor do they establish an attorney-client relationship of any kind. Howland Hess O’Connell encourages all readers to seek and consult professional counsel before acting upon the information contained on this site.

In Part One of our Three Part Series regarding License Suspensions, we introduced generally the topic of license suspensions and the most common causes for a suspended license. In Part Two of our Three Part Series, we discussed the issue of License Suspensions resulting from non-attentiveness. In today’s post, we discuss the issue of suspensions resulting from over-attentiveness (usually caused by a moral desire to obey the law and simply make the ticket or fine go away).
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Imagine the following, very real scenario: you receive a ticket and, being overly concerned about not being timely in your response, write a check and pay the fine immediately. In doing so, do you realize what you’ve done? You have just plead guilty to whatever violation is the basis of the ticket.



Did you know that many violations lead to additional penalties imposed by Penndot that are not mentioned on the ticket? Many people don’t. In addition, since local courts are not permitted to provide legal advice, many people who are trying to promptly respond to the ticket (to avoid a suspension, and follow the law) frequently find out after paying the fine that Penndot is suspending the license because of the nature of the violation.
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Be aware that pleading ‘guilty’ or being found ‘guilty’, means being “convicted“. Once convicted, Penndot can impose points and suspensions which can be more costly than the original fines.

The moral of this story and three-part series is simple: be attentive to any tickets you may receive but be cautious before pleading guilty to them. It is critically important to know what all the ramifications are prior to doing so.

NOTICE: If you’re license has been suspended or you’re facing the potential of a license suspension, the attorneys at Howland Hess O’Connell are available today to help you. Michael Cassidy is very experienced with the Motor Vehicle Code, Penndot’s schedule of penalties, and, most importantly the police officers and judicial system that handle these citations. Competent legal advice can save money (in fines, costs, and higher insurance premiums), and quite frequently, the loss of your driver’s license.

Legal Disclaimer: The contents of this website are intended solely for informational purposes. They neither constitute nor imply an official legal opinion on behalf of Howland, Hess, Guinan, Torpey, Cassidy and O’Connell nor do they establish an attorney-client relationship of any kind. Howland Hess O’Connell encourages all readers to seek and consult professional counsel before acting upon the information contained on this site.