Philly police launch crackdown on ‘crazy driving’ and illegal parkers along North Broad Street

Philadelphia police this week have launched an enforcement crackdown focused on bad drivers and illegal parkers along North Broad Street from City Hall to the Cheltenham Avenue city border.

Deputy Commissioner Michael Cram, who oversees patrol operations, said “crazy driving” has been a top complaint during recent community meetings.

Drivers who fail to abide by traffic signals and signs, who double park, or drive on the wrong side of the street can expect a citation, and not just a warning, Cram said Tuesday.

The crackdown — staffed by officers from other units who will be focused on traffic enforcement — began on Monday and is expected to last 30 days along the roughly eight-mile stretch.

Police will then move to other city “hot spots,” Cram said.

So far this year, police in Philadelphia have issued around 8,000 traffic citations citywide, Cram said.

The goal of the new crackdown is to make the streets safer for motorists and pedestrians.

Along the North Broad Street corridor, there have been 1,601 crashes, including 52 involving pedestrians, from April 2023 through the end of March, according to the department.

During that time frame, there have been nine traffic-related fatalities, the department said.

Since 2019, there have been 44 fatal crashes on North Broad Street.

“These reckless actions have put the safety of our citizens and visitors at risk,” Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said in a statement. “This initiative is designed to address these concerns and create a safer environment for everyone traveling along this busy corridor.”

The department said special attention would be paid to no-parking zones and keeping traffic lanes clear to improve overall traffic flow.

When necessary, vehicles will be towed, the department said.

The Broad Street crackdown is the second high-visibility traffic initiative in recent months.

Police have been trying to get a handle on the large groups of ATVs and dirt bikes that flagrantly disregard traffic rules.

So far this year, police have confiscated 113 ATVs and dirt bikes, Cram said.