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A new law updating the state’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) law for young drivers will take effect on Tuesday, Dec. 27. That means changes for existing junior drivers and permit holders, as well as teens who obtain their permits after the 27th.
The law requires everyone under the age of 18 in a vehicle to be properly buckled up, whether in a seat belt or a child safety or booster seat. By making the failure to do so a primary offense, a law enforcement officer may pull over a driver if the officer sees that someone under age 18 is not securely fastened.
The law also increases the required number of hours of behind-the-wheel training for permit holders from 50 to 65. Ten of those hours must be at night and five logged during inclement weather. This applies to teens who do not yet have their permits or have their permits but have not yet passed the on-the-road driving skills test. If you have your permit and have already passed that test, you are required to have just 50 hours of behind-the-wheel training, though the additional hours might be helpful to you.
The third component of the law sets restrictions for the number of passengers in a vehicle driven by a teen. In the first six months of being licensed, a teen can only carry one, non-family passenger who is younger than 18. After the first six months and until the junior driver turns 18, a limit of three non-family passengers under age 18 is permitted.
If a junior driver has been involved in a reportable accident for which the junior driver is partially or fully responsible in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s opinion, the one-person passenger limit will apply until age 18.
For more information on the new teen driver law, visit http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/teenDriversCenter/newTeenDriversLaw.shtml
Friday, December 23, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Tell Senator Pat Toomey and Bob Casey to Support Complete Streets
From our friends at PA Walks & Bikes
Posted on December 13, 2011 by Shayne
Now is our chance!
While we continue to work to preserve federal funding for bicycling and walking, there is an opportunity this week to ensure that federally funded transportation projects accommodate the needs and safety of all users — including pedestrians and bicyclists. This would be a real chance to see Complete Streets policies enacted in every state.
On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will consider an amendment offered by Alaska Senator Mark Begich to provide safe and adequate accommodations for all users in all federally funded street projects. This means safer roads for everyone, including those who walk, bicycle, ride transit, or drive cars.
Your Senator is a member of this committee and we need you to voice your support TODAY for the Senator Begich amendment to S. 1950 on “safety for motorized and nonmotorized users.”
Please forward this message to all of your members and supporters, with a link to the League of American Bicyclists’ Action Center, where you can send an email directly to your Senator. Below, you’ll find a sample letter you can customize to send to your Senator, as well. Attached, you’ll find additional talking points and information about the amendment.
This is the first time in more than six years that our federal representatives will take a vote on Complete Streets language — please, take action TODAY!
Posted on December 13, 2011 by Shayne
Now is our chance!
While we continue to work to preserve federal funding for bicycling and walking, there is an opportunity this week to ensure that federally funded transportation projects accommodate the needs and safety of all users — including pedestrians and bicyclists. This would be a real chance to see Complete Streets policies enacted in every state.
On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will consider an amendment offered by Alaska Senator Mark Begich to provide safe and adequate accommodations for all users in all federally funded street projects. This means safer roads for everyone, including those who walk, bicycle, ride transit, or drive cars.
Your Senator is a member of this committee and we need you to voice your support TODAY for the Senator Begich amendment to S. 1950 on “safety for motorized and nonmotorized users.”
Please forward this message to all of your members and supporters, with a link to the League of American Bicyclists’ Action Center, where you can send an email directly to your Senator. Below, you’ll find a sample letter you can customize to send to your Senator, as well. Attached, you’ll find additional talking points and information about the amendment.
This is the first time in more than six years that our federal representatives will take a vote on Complete Streets language — please, take action TODAY!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Nat'l Safe Routes to School State Network Report RELEASED TODAY!
In the winter of 2009, a board member of WalkBikeBerks rallied a large, diverse coalition of stakeholders across Pennsylvania to collaboratively write ands submit a grant application to build the Pennsylvania Safe Routes To School State Network Project.
The application was accepted, and with the leadership of Pennsylvania Walks & Bikes, the PA SRTS State Network Project launched in January of 2010.
Now, you can read the final report of those efforts, combined with the efforts of the other state networks across the nation.
Report includes policy successes, lessons learned and local success stories
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership’s state network project brings together state leaders to remove barriers to walking and bicycling to and from school. We write to share with you the National Partnership’s 2010-2011 report, entitled: Safe Routes to School State Network Project Final Report, 2010-2011: Phase II - Successes and Lessons Learned, which includes policy successes, lessons learned and local success stories that were a result of policy changes led by the 20 state network coalitions.
Key policy wins from each of the 19 network states and the District of Columbia included improvements to state Safe Routes to School programs that increased award and obligation rates for local community grant recipients and lower-income communities, policies creating street-scale improvements for walking and bicycling, school siting and joint use agreements, supporting lower-income communities and improving personal safety. State networks influenced the distribution of more than $100 million in Safe Routes to School funds.
This report was written by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, a national network of more than 550 organizations. The report was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest health foundation. Originally launched in 2007 in 10 states, the project supported networks during 2010 and 2011 in California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania*, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Collectively, the 20 state networks engaged more than 900 partner organizations and agencies as active participants in improving the built environment and increasing physical activity for children, with a focus on serving lower-income communities. The networks each made substantial improvements to transportation policies and funding allocations, safety, land use, the environment and public health. In some states, networks were the first statewide group to address particular policy issues.
The application was accepted, and with the leadership of Pennsylvania Walks & Bikes, the PA SRTS State Network Project launched in January of 2010.
Now, you can read the final report of those efforts, combined with the efforts of the other state networks across the nation.
Report includes policy successes, lessons learned and local success stories
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership’s state network project brings together state leaders to remove barriers to walking and bicycling to and from school. We write to share with you the National Partnership’s 2010-2011 report, entitled: Safe Routes to School State Network Project Final Report, 2010-2011: Phase II - Successes and Lessons Learned, which includes policy successes, lessons learned and local success stories that were a result of policy changes led by the 20 state network coalitions.
Key policy wins from each of the 19 network states and the District of Columbia included improvements to state Safe Routes to School programs that increased award and obligation rates for local community grant recipients and lower-income communities, policies creating street-scale improvements for walking and bicycling, school siting and joint use agreements, supporting lower-income communities and improving personal safety. State networks influenced the distribution of more than $100 million in Safe Routes to School funds.
This report was written by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, a national network of more than 550 organizations. The report was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest health foundation. Originally launched in 2007 in 10 states, the project supported networks during 2010 and 2011 in California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania*, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Collectively, the 20 state networks engaged more than 900 partner organizations and agencies as active participants in improving the built environment and increasing physical activity for children, with a focus on serving lower-income communities. The networks each made substantial improvements to transportation policies and funding allocations, safety, land use, the environment and public health. In some states, networks were the first statewide group to address particular policy issues.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Every Body Walk! Launches New App!
Every Body Walk! is committed to get Americans up and moving. The Every Body Walk! app enables you to personalize your walking plan, connect with walking communities, learn about the latest fitness trends and tips and more. Get connected and get walking!
Track and save your own walking routes, build your walking history--then share your progress on Facebook!
Discover walking groups and walking paths near you with an interactive map! Read the latest news about walking, health news, trends and more!
Watch videos that include walking tips, how communities are embracing walking, advice from experts and more!
To download the app, please follow the links to either the iTunes or Android marketplaces:
iTunes (opens iTunes application)
itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/every-body-walk/id462444656
Android Market
https://market.android.com/details?id=air.org.everybodywalk.everybodywalk
Two new videos are available for embed:
An app video tutorial:
http://www.everybodywalk.org/films-a-info/inspiration/every-body-walk-app-tutorial
A PSA with 3 case studies:
http://bcove.me/b1ykkbu4
Track and save your own walking routes, build your walking history--then share your progress on Facebook!
Discover walking groups and walking paths near you with an interactive map! Read the latest news about walking, health news, trends and more!
Watch videos that include walking tips, how communities are embracing walking, advice from experts and more!
To download the app, please follow the links to either the iTunes or Android marketplaces:
iTunes (opens iTunes application)
itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/every-body-walk/id462444656
Android Market
https://market.android.com/details?id=air.org.everybodywalk.everybodywalk
Two new videos are available for embed:
An app video tutorial:
http://www.everybodywalk.org/films-a-info/inspiration/every-body-walk-app-tutorial
A PSA with 3 case studies:
http://bcove.me/b1ykkbu4
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