Fetterman had tickets for speeding and careless driving before the accident

The accident was Fetterman’s latest example of unsafe driving, according to public records and people with knowledge of the situation. He has received two tickets for speeding 24 miles per hour or more over the limit, one in 2016 and one in March, according to Pennsylvania state records. After the ticket this year when he was driving Because he was speeding 34 miles per hour, he had to take a driver’s education course, according to a person familiar with the outcome who described the incident on condition of anonymity. Neither report noted exactly where he was driving or how fast he was going.

At other times, employees have said Fetterman texted and used FaceTime while driving, causing concern among his coworkers and fears about driving with him, according to three people with knowledge of the Employee discussions, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe internal conversations.

Fetterman’s co-workers avoided sending him messages when they were behind the wheel, even though they knew he was driving, because they were afraid he would respond to them, the three people said. One co-worker asked to be removed from riding in the car after witnessing Fetterman’s unsafe driving, they said. The concerns led to an informal practice that was recently implemented According to a person familiar with the practice, office employees are not supposed to be in the car when Fetterman is driving.

“It’s not safe,” said a person familiar with Fetterman’s driving.

When asked by the Washington Post about the reports on his driving, a spokesman for Fetterman said they were “gossip and inaccurate” but declined to go into further detail.

In a statement, Fetterman said he would slow down in the future.

“It was an unfortunate accident on Sunday and I’m relieved and thankful that there were no serious injuries,” he said. “I’ve been driving for nearly 40 years and have gotten a few tickets. When I was speeding, I was held accountable. I need to do better and slow down – and I will.”

His Chevy Traverse suffered significant front-end damage after Sunday’s crash, according to a person familiar with the accident. Both vehicles were towed from the scene of the accident due to “dangerous damage,” the police report said.

Be Office did not respond to a question about why the accident happened or whether Fetterman was distracted by his phone when it happened. The police report states that the person hit was “not distracted,” while Fetterman’s “distraction by” category was listed as “unknown.”

Fetterman, a 6-foot-8 first-year senator who suffered a stroke during the campaign and checked himself into a depression clinic shortly after arriving in Washington, cuts a towering figure on Capitol Hill, wearing his signature hoodies at official functions and in the Capitol, which has sparked a debate about the Senate’s dress code. He has made waves by booing Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and urging him to resign as he faces federal corruption charges, and has clashed with left-wing activists who disagreed with his strong support for Israel’s invasion of Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attack.

During his two-year term as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, Fetterman had a security detail to chauffeur him around the state. But as a senator, he often drives himself, especially in the Keystone State, according to people familiar with his travels. He often drives himself much of the way to and from his hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

This week’s accident occurred Sunday morning on Interstate 70 near Hagerstown, Maryland State Police said. Fetterman, 54, rear-ended a Chevy Impala while traveling westbound “well above the speed limit,” the police report said, citing a witness.

“A passenger in the Traverse and the driver of the Impala were transported by ambulance to War Memorial Hospital in West Virginia where their injuries were treated,” the accident report states. No charges were filed at the scene. Both Fettermans were wearing seat belts, as was the other driver, the report states.

A copy of the police report obtained by The Washington Post. Some identifying details have been redacted. If you are using a mobile device and cannot view the PDF, click Here.

In March, Fetterman pleaded guilty to speeding 34 miles per hour in Westmoreland County near Pittsburgh, according to a Traffic record entry. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, speeding over 31 miles per hour automatically results in the driver taking a driver’s education course.

In the case of such a serious speeding violation, the offender must either take a special driving test or have his or her license revoked for 15 days. The driving school and the test test knowledge of “safe driving practices” and safety aspects.

Fetterman also pleaded guilty in 2016 to exceeding the speed limit by 24 miles per hour in Warren County in northwestern Pennsylvania.

In their X-video on Monday, the Fettermans said that the The accident marred their wedding anniversary. Gisele Fetterman said the accident was “the worst anniversary ever.” “But we’re OK,” John Fetterman said.

Razzan Nakhlawi and Dan Morse contributed to this report.