Region Transportation Safety Newsletter, March 2016

Transportation Safety

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Working together to create a safe transportation system

Buckle Up, Every Trip

NSW Road Safety in Australia has posted a graphic crash test dummy video that will make you want to buckle up. The video shows two dummies wearing their safety belt side by side with two dummies not wearing their belt. You can see that those with no safety belt do not fare so well. This is why it is the law to wear a safety belt.

Buckle up – every trip, every time! 

This is why it's the law to wear a seatbelt. Clip every trip.
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Unbuckled in Back: An Overlooked Issue

The Governors Highway Safety Association has released a report that examines rear seat belt use rates, state laws and enforcement, and public education efforts. In addition, it makes recommendations for states to help boost rear seat belt use through programs and policies.

Rear seat passengers are three times more likely to die in a crash if they are unbelted.
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Teen Drivers Back on the Road

According to a recent report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the economic recovery has led to an increase in teenage drivers getting back behind the wheel. Teen driving sharply declined about a decade ago and there was some speculation that teens may be less interested in driving in general. The recent uptick has been associated with teenagers traveling to jobs and also having more money to pay for driving.

Teen drivers have crash rates three times those of drivers age 20 and older per mile driven. According to IIHS, teen drivers tend to overestimate their own driving abilities and, at the same time, underestimate the dangers on the road. Crash rates for young drivers are high largely because of their immaturity combined with driving inexperience. The immaturity is apparent in young drivers' risky driving practices such as speeding.

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Designate a Sober Driver this St. Patrick’s Day

For too many in the United States, St. Patrick's Day has ended in tragedy due to drunk drivers getting behind the wheel. Over St. Patrick's Day from 2010 to 2014, there were a total of 266 lives lost in drunk driving crashes. We encourage everyone to make a plan before heading out to the festivities. And keep an eye out for pedestrians who have had too much to drink: Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly, as lack of attention could put you at risk of getting hit by a vehicle. So whether you’ve indulged a little or a lot, remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

  1. Designate a sober, reliable driver to get you home safely.
  2. Find the name of a taxi company (or two), and keep their numbers in your phone, or download the NHTSA SaferRide app.
  3. Before you take your first sip of green beer, leave your keys at home or give them to a friend.
  4. Ensure your designated driver has committed to a sober evening. If you’re the designated driver, do not drink. Your friends are relying on you, as are the people with whom you share the road.
  5. Enjoy non-alcoholic beverages and tweet your VIP (very important partygoer) status online using the hashtag #designateddriver.

To drink and drive is a crime – you put yourself at risk, as well as others. The consequences are often fatal. If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local police at 1-800-24-DRUNK when it is safe to do so. You could save a life.

The rate of drunk driving deaths is 7% higher during the St. Patrick's Day holiday. Nothing lucky about that!

March 2016

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Brought to you by Oregon Department of Transportation.

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Features

NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts

Safety Belt Use in 2015 (new)

Quick Facts 2014 (new)

2014 Crash Data Key Findings 

Alcohol-Impaired Driving

Bicyclists

Motorcyclists

Pedestrians

FHWA Public Roads Magazine

Jan/Feb 2016

Nov/Dec 2015

Sep/Oct 2015

Oregon Impact Newsletter

Feb 2016 (new)

Jan 2016

Dec 2015

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Traffic Safety Program Managers

Region 1 (Portland)

Kristie Gladhill

Region 2 (Salem)

Nicole Charlson

Region 3 (Roseburg)

Rosalee Senger

Region 4 (Bend)

Chris Cheng

Region 5 (La Grande)

Billie-Jo Deal

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Oregon Safety

ODOT Transportation Safety Division

ODOT Crash Data

Transportation Safety Action Plan

TripCheck

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