Traffic Stop, PA Smooth Operator

PA Smooth Operator

The Smooth Operator program is a public safety initiative which aims to provide education, information and solutions for Pennsylvania´s aggressive driving problem.

Smooth Operator was launched 1997 by a group of Washington area law enforcement agencies. By 1999, the coalition had grown to include elected officials and representatives from government agencies, private sector organizations and law enforcement agencies from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Pennsylvania piloted Smooth Operator in 2006 and took the program statewide in 2007. Currently 330 Pennsylvania police departments participate in four annual enforcement waves. Nearly 241,000 citations have been written since the program began in our state.

Aggressive Driving

It´s a jungle out there. As traffic increases and lives get busier, it´s no wonder that dangerous driving behaviors are on the rise. Motorists have named aggressive driving – speeding, tailgating, red-light running and other dangerous behaviors – as the number one threat to highway safety.

Automobile Crash, Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Over 1,000 Pennsylvanians were killed last year in crashes involving aggressive driving. Crashes claimed a total of 1,525 people.

Dealing with Aggressive Drivers

  • Dont challenge aggressive drivers
  • Don´t make eye contact
  • Drive defensively; be aware of your surroundings
  • React, don´t second guess
  • Report them, if need be
  • Wear a seatbeltlink opens in new window as a precaution

PA Smooth Operator Program

News Clips, PA Smooth Operator Program
  • Today more than 275 law enforcement agencies have been invited to coordinate efforts to target aggressive drivers, conducting four enforcement "waves."
  • Enforcement waves coincide with advertising blitzes to inform the public, stigmatize the behavior, and shame aggressive drivers into respecting safety and the law.
  • Other methods include development of high technology law enforcement strategies and tools.
Aggressive Driver, Are you an aggressive driver?

Are you an aggressive driver?

Anyone can be an aggressive driver under the right circumstances. Being late for an appointment or getting stuck behind the wrong vehicle can bring out the worst in even the calmest person. It´s how you choose deal with those stresses that can make you an aggressive driver.

Speedometer, How often do you do the following aggressive things?

How often do you do the following aggressive things?

  • Speeding – going faster than the posted speed limit or too fast for weather conditions
  • Running red lights – and running stop signs
  • Tailgating – following other vehicles too closely
  • Making frequent lane changes – making unsafe lane changes or weaving in and out of traffic to get ahead
  • Failing to yield the right of way – not allowing other drivers to merge or cutting other drivers off
  • Passing improperly – passing on the right, passing on the shoulder of the road or failing to use turn signals when changing lanes

2008 Smooth Operator Waves

There will be four Smooth Operator waves in Pennsylvania this year.

  • Out of Wave: December 1, 2007 thru March 15, 2008
  • Wave Two: April 6 - 20, 2008
  • Wave Three: June 23 - July 6, 2008
  • Wave Four: September 7 - 21

Paid advertising and earned media will accompany each wave.

Highway Safety Calendar


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