PENNDOT Services Make Winter Driving Smoother

Motorists can report potholes, get traffic info

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) offers two services designed to make driving smoother, according to Senator Bob Mensch (R-24).

"PennDOT offers a special toll-free hotline to report potholes and other highway maintenance concerns and it also has a special website that provides round-the-clock traffic information," Senator Mensch said. "These services are particularly important during the winter and I urge all local residents to use them to help make driving around the area a smoother experience."

Motorists can report potholes and other roadway concerns on state roads by calling 1-800 FIX ROAD. Customers can use the hotline number to report any state roadway maintenance concern such as potholes, deer removal or signage issues.

Callers are asked to be as specific as possible when providing pothole locations or other maintenance concerns. For state routes, callers must report the county, municipality, street name and route number, or the state route (SR) number that can be found on small black‑and‑white signs posted along state roadways. Callers should also provide a description of any familiar landmarks that will help PennDOTlocate the problem area.

The 1-800-FIX-ROAD number should not be used to report traffic accidents, disabled vehicles, or other emergencies. Motorists should continue to call 911 to report those types of incidents.

Late last year PennDOT unveiled a new free service enabling motorists to check traffic conditions 24 hours a day on major roadways before traveling.

Motorists can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to receive traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, average traffic speeds on urban interstates and access to more than 440 traffic cameras. The service provides simple to use, color-coded winter road conditions for all interstates and other routes covered in the 511 reporting network.

PennDOT also offers the following winter driving tips:

Have a mechanic you trust check your vehicle's belts, hoses, battery and brakes. You should also check that the heater and defroster are working properly and that the wipers don't streak.
Check tires for proper inflation and sufficient tread depth. A quick way to check tread depth is to insert a penny in the tread groove with Lincoln's head upside down. If you can see the entire head, your tires are worn and will not be able to pull your vehicle through winter.
If you live in an area prone to heavy snow, you may want to consider using dedicated snow tires or carrying a set of tire chains. At a minimum, all-season tires should at least be mud and snow rated.
Pack an emergency kit that includes items such as non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket and small snow shovel. Tailor their kits to specific needs of your family. Items such as baby supplies, extra medication, pet supplies, a spare cell phone or even children's games should be included for families that need them.
Remember to slow down and increase following distance when confronted with snowy or icy roads. In 2008, there were more than 7,700 crashes and 51 fatalities on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways where aggressive driving behaviors such as speeding or making careless changes led to the crash.