PennDOT is starting a new public awareness campaign aimed at helping drivers avoid hitting low bridges with their vehicles.
Called “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right”, the multi-state collaboration will encourage motorists to know how high their vehicles are and check to see if it will safely fit under bridges on their route. PennDOT data showed that between 2013 and 2023, there were over 600 incidents of vehicles hitting bridges or other overhead structures.
In a statement, PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said that the state has made tremendous progress in bridge maintenance and repairs, but each bridge strike “takes funding away from other projects and often involve resources from our emergency response partners.” Drivers are responsible for knowing the height of their vehicle – whether a personal vehicle or a rented one – and observing and complying with posted bridge heights.
In the commonwealth, vehicles that are taller than 13 feet six inches must apply for a special hauling permit, and bridges with vertical clearance of 14 feet six inches must be labelled with low clearance signs on the bridge and approaching it. Drivers should always watch for and adhere to signage indicating bridge heights and not rely solely on navigation devices which do not consider vehicle height when giving route guidance.
More information on the campaign can be found on PennDOT’s Website.
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