'Be vigilant, be aware': Allentown officials urge safe driving as schools open, Labor Day looms

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio's office has investigated more than three dozen deaths after vehicle crashes this year; he pleaded with drivers Wednesday to help ensure that number doesn’t grow over the Labor Day weekend.

“Every day that my staff does this, it’s emotional for us. It’s emotional for the families,” Buglio said, urging drivers to “be vigilant, be aware, be safe” as they travel “today, tomorrow, the upcoming holiday, the weekend and every day.”

Many of this year’s fatal crashes were caused by speeding, distracted or impaired driving, and failing to wear a seat belt or helmet, he said.

Committing to driving safely can be “the difference between life or death,” the coroner said.

“Please make safety your top priority when you get on the road,” Buglio said.

Education and enforcement are key to making Allentown’s roads less dangerous for all users, particularly kids going back to school, according to Mayor Matt Tuerk.

More people will be on the roads “as we're about to start this holiday weekend, and as we're beginning our school year,” he said.

“We're here today … to make sure people understand the dangers associated with unsafe roadway behavior,” Tuerk said as people demonstrated “some driver behavior that we'll need to improve” behind him at the intersection of Seventh and Tilghman streets.

Tilghman Street/Union Boulevard was identified as the top high-injury crash corridor in Allentown’s Safe Streets for All action plan.

Allentown has made “some progress [toward safer roads] through investments in infrastructure,” the mayor said Wednesday, highlighting speed cushions that are being installed around schools and city parks and $1.5 million in funding for road safety projects.

The city is working to end road-related deaths by the end of the decade through its Vision 2030 plan.