Work zone sting operation puts troopers in PennDOT vehicles

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- PennDOT is teaming up with Pennsylvania State Police to conduct a work zone operation to improve safety for construction workers.

It's called Operation Yellow Jacket.

State police troopers will actually be inside yellow PennDOT work trucks running radar guns, while other troopers will be stationed in marked cars nearby.

Anyone caught speeding, driving distracted, driving recklessly, or disobeying any laws in the construction zones will be pulled over.

"The bottom line is that you are responsible for your behavior. Distracted drivers, hostile driving, high-speed driving is all on you. We're looking to change your behavior," said Philadelphia County's Maintenance Manager Dan Graham.

The initiative is already underway across Southeastern Pennsylvania, with 17 conducted so far.

Last year alone in the Philadelphia region there were 309 crashes in work zones resulting in three deaths.

In mid-September, Chopper 6 was over two crashes on I-76 near City Avenue that happened in a work zone.

State police say they want the initiative to send a clear message.

"I know citations are part of it, but that's not the focus of Operation Yellow Jacket. It really is to change driver behavior," said Pennsylvania State Police Captain Gerard Mcshea.

For more information on PennDOT's highway safety efforts, visit PennDOT.pa.gov/safety.