THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY WATERS, BROWN, PALLONE, YOUNGBLOOD, KIRKLAND, BEYER, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, GEIST, GEORGE, GOODMAN, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, KORTZ, MUNDY, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH AND VULAKOVICH, JUNE 10, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JUNE 10, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Designating the week of June 21 through 27, 2009, as

"Rubbernecking Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Sixteen percent of all traffic accidents are caused

by rubbernecking, making it the leading cause of traffic

accidents; and 

WHEREAS, Rubbernecking is defined as paying attention with

exaggerated curiosity to an event or scene out of the pathway of

the driver and thus being diverted from the task of defensive

and safe driving; and

WHEREAS, Common driver distractions that cause rubbernecking

are a crash or other roadside incident, another vehicle or an

attractive man or woman; and

WHEREAS, In a study and report for the Center for

Transportation Studies at the University of Virginia, authors

Jonathan P. Masinick and Dr. Hualiang Teng concluded from their

accumulated data that "rubbernecking is a major problem in

highway systems throughout the United States"; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is 44,820 square miles in size and has

more than 118,000 miles of highway; and

WHEREAS, It is safe to assume that rubbernecking on

Pennsylvania highways is a problem that needs to be recognized;

therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the

week of June 21 through 27, 2009, as "Rubbernecking Awareness

Week" in Pennsylvania.