Please, drive safely

Anyone who knows me is aware I can be fanatical about drivers and safety. I have years of trauma experience and have driven most kinds of vehicles — from tractor-trailers to 20-ton dumps to motorcycles. I have attended numerous safety programs and have been involved in fire and rescue.

I am absolutely disgusted with the driving practices in Centre County. Tri-axle trucks and tractor-trailers driving 70 mph on I-99, Route 150 and Route 64 mix with pickups, minivans and cars — with occupants who have no idea they could die in seconds if another driver makes a mistake.

I often drive these local roads and rarely see law enforcement monitoring traffic, especially from 7-8:30 a.m. and 4:30-6 p.m., when no one drives less than 60 mph. The recent excessive accidents with semitrailers and tri-axle trucks are frightening, yet I have never ( in 28 years living here ) seen an overloaded tri-axle truck get stopped and weighed. Semitrailer drivers know enough to take detours when the weigh stations are active, thanks to their CB radios.

Today’s drivers give no thought that every single mile could be their last, due to drivers on their cellphones, passing on the right or eating while driving. I have observed this every time I travel I-99 between the Bellefonte and Gray’s Woods exits.

I’m one of those drivers who uses cruise control and ignores the dirty looks and hand signs I get and I can’t hear you — but I will arrive alive!

This story was originally published March 25, 2017 at 9:49 PM with the headline "Please, drive safely."