BETHLEHEM, Pa. – State Police investigated hundreds of traffic crashes over the Christmas holiday weekend, with a rise in accidents, fatal wrecks and the number of people killed, authorities said.
Statewide during the Christmas holiday weekend from Dec. 23-25, troopers responded to 661 motor vehicle crashes in which seven people died and 113 others were injured, according to a release.
Alcohol was a factor in 36 crashes, including two fatal wrecks. One occurred on Christmas Day in Lower Macungie Township, Troop M spokesman Nathan Branosky said.
Dante Kaintz, 21, was killed about 7:20 p.m. Dec. 25 in the 2200 block of Light Horse Harry Road.
According to police, he failed to navigate a curve in the roadway traveling northbound on Willow Lane. His car traveled across the southbound lane, hit a curb and went airborne. It then hit a bush and traveled into the rear yard of a residence, where it struck a tree and finally came to rest.
Kaintz was the lone occupant of the vehicle and was traveling at an unsafe speed, a police report said.
Overall, there was a 35% increase in crashes statewide compared with the 2021 Christmas holiday period.
Data from police also showed five fatal crashes this season, compared with four in 2021, and seven people killed compared with six in 2021.
The number of people injured also jumped, from 90 to 113.
The number of alcohol-related crashes declined, but the number of fatalities rose — from one in 2021 to two in 2022.
| Year | Total Crashes | Fatal Crashes | People Killed | People Injured | Alcohol-Related Crashes | Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes |
| 2022 (3 days) | 661 | 5 | 7 | 113 | 36 | 2 |
| 2021 (3 days) | 488 | 4 | 6 | 90 | 41 | 1 |
Local data
Troop M, which covers Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties, responded to 37 total crashes in its coverage area during the Christmas enforcement period and 33 during the New Year's enforcement period.
In addition to the one fatality, there were nine others injured and four other alcohol-related crashes in addition to the Lower Macungie Township crash.
The Christmas Holiday enforcement period started at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, and concluded at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 25.
The New Year’s Holiday Enforcement period started at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Dec. 30, and concluded at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, January 1.
In total, there were 47 DUI arrests, 215 speeding citations, nine child passenger seat citations, 15 seat belt citations, 17 warnings, 787 other traffic citations and 27 self-initiated criminal arrests (those arrests that occurred after contact between the public and law enforcement that was not a direct response to a call for service).
In addition, PSP Troop M–Belfast Station conducted a DUI Checkpoint on Friday, Dec. 23, in Northampton County that resulted in one DUI arrest and 13 summary citations, the release said.
