PennDOT Extends Expiration Dates for Driver Licenses & ID Cards

Posted on August 5, 2020 by The Dunmorean

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that expiration dates for driver licenses, identification cards, and learner’s permits, will be extended for Pennsylvania residents in response to statewide COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

Effective July 23, expiration dates for driver licenses, photo ID cards and learner’s permits scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020 through August 31, 2020, have been extended until August 31, 2020. These extensions are in addition to those announced on June 25.

A camera card is considered a driver’s license, so it is covered by the same terms and conditions extending other driver’s license products. Camera cards with expiration dates within this timeframe are also extended through August 31, 2020.

Additionally, limited services are available at some Driver License and Photo License Centers. For a list of open driver license and photo license centers and the services provided, as well as their hours of operation, please visit www.dmv.pa.gov.

Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and schedule a driver’s exam. There are no additional fees for using online services.

PennDOT will continue to evaluate these processes and will communicate any changes with the public.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

PennDOT Highway Safety Survey

Posted on August 5, 2020 by The Dunmorean

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is seeking motorists’ input on traffic safety and driving behaviors through its annual online Highway Safety Survey found at www.PennDOT.gov/Safety.

“Safety is our top priority and we value continued public engagement in making our roadways safer,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “The results from this annual survey help us gauge participants’ attitudes on highway safety, and potentially allow us to adjust our safety activities so we can further reduce crashes and fatalities.”

The survey is available on PennDOT’s website through Aug. 17 and should take about five minutes to complete. All responses, including the “comments” fields, are anonymous.

More than 10,000 people responded to last year’s survey. Notably, nearly 91 percent of respondents said they always wear a seat belt and 89 percent said they never drive while impaired. When asked which behaviors distracted them while driving in the last month, only 14 percent of respondents indicated “Using a hand-held cell phone” was a distraction. Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed indicated “Adjusting the radio or climate controls” was a distraction, while 37 percent indicated they were distracted by an object outside of the vehicle.

“Driving is a skill that requires 100 percent of your attention 100 percent of the time, and distractions are everywhere, it’s not just your cell phone,” said Gramian. “Don’t drive distracted.”

For more information on highway safety efforts, visit www.PennDOT.gov/Safety.

PennDOT Modifies Skills Tests Due to COVID-19 Virus

Posted on July 1, 2020 by The Dunmorean

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) says as of June 20, any customer in need of an appointment for a skills test, including motorcycle skills tests, may now schedule online by visiting www.dmv.pa.gov or by contacting the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services Call Center at 717-412-5300.

The skills test has been modified to mitigate potential exposure of PennDOT staff and customers while maintaining the integrity of the testing process.

The following enhanced safety measures for non-commercial skills tests will continue and the following safety protocols will be in place:

PennDOT staff will remain outside the vehicle during the entire skills test. The test taker and accompanying driver will remain in the vehicle.
There will be no pre-screening for customers in green counties.
All customers and accompanying drivers must wear appropriate face masks during testing.
Examiners will be required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, eye protection during the exam.
Examiners will utilize iPads during the administration of testing, which will be routinely disinfected using wipes or spray sanitizer.

PennDOT-Authorized Third Party Testers are also available for non-commercial testing. For a list of PennDOT Authorized Third Party Vendors, please visit our website.Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov.

Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; and driver license and photo ID duplicates. There are no additional fees for using online services.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.