TrafficWise - June 3, 2019

Ohio State Highway Patrol sent this bulletin at 06/03/2019 10:07 AM EDT

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June 3, 2019

FATAL CRASHES 2019 YEAR TO DATE MAP can be found here.

FATAL COMPARISON MAP can be found here.

Link to Traffic Safety Materials order form can be found by clicking here.

Each year prior to the "Click It or Ticket" national mobilization, Ohio conducts a statewide Seat Belt Observation. This survey serves two purposes. First, it identifies a base line Seat Belt Usage Rate for each of Ohio's 88 counties. Second, it identifies counties and locations where additional emphasis on Seat Belt Usage enforcement would make a significant impact.

From the pre-survey, county usage rates fall between 99.18% to 48.87%.

Now is the time to act to increase seat belt usage in Ohio.

High visibility enforcement and additional public awareness in the identified Red and Yellow counties are critical to increasing seat belt usage rates.

To view the pre-survey results for your county, click here.

To view Site Locations Observed by your county, click here.

AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR NEWLY LICENSED DRIVERS IN OHIO

The Issues Around Newly Licensed Drivers

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America. Nearly 3,000 teens die annually in such accidents, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Two major areas contribute to this alarming statistic: 1) inexperience of young drivers and 2) issues surrounding distracted and impaired driving. Both of these issues need to be addressed in any reputable teen safe driving program.

Ford Driving Skills for Life – A Safe Driving Solution

Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) was established in 2003 by Ford Motor Company Fund, the Governors Highway Safety Association, and a panel of safety experts to teach newly licensed teens the necessary skills for safe driving beyond what they learn in standard driver education programs.

The program is international in scope touching not only the United States but many areas around the world.The basic premise behind Ford Driving Skills for Life is to provide a step in the learning process, providing new skills and information not currently shared with newly licensed drivers in the basic driver education courses.

Training is conducted in both hands-on and web-based curriculum and the entire program is available at no cost.Training conducted under the Ford Driving Skills for Life program addresses both the inexperience factor as well as issues surrounding distracted driving. Results over the past ten years of this effort have been outstanding. For best results, we encourage both teens and parents to engage in the instruction together.

Partners to this event include the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) and Family, Careers and Community Leaders of American (FCCLA).

For more information and to register for this free event, click here.

REPORTED ACTIVITY FOR "CLICK IT OR TICKET" (CIOT) DUE BY JUNE 17

Partners across Ohio came together to focus on increasing seat belt usage in Ohio from May 20 - June 2. State, county, municipal, township and specialized law enforcement agencies made enforcing Ohio's seat belt laws a priority during this time.

Now, to evaluate the effort, we ask that each law enforcement agency submit ALL their traffic related patrol activity during the CIOT period, regardless if it was grant funded, overtime or regular patrol.

Your attention to reporting of this activity is important in evaluating the effort and effectiveness of the CIOT campaign in Ohio.

Click here to view the 2019 Mobilization Reporting form.

Report forms are due back to OTSO by June 17, 2019.

Thank you for your participation and your effort.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

National Ride to Work Day - June 17, 2019

Motorcycle crashes involving another motor vehicle continue to account for nearly half of all motorcyclist fatalities in the United States. Motorcyclists are inherently at more risk than motor vehicles because they lack many of the same safety features of automobiles.

From a statistical perspective, motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to die in a crash than other motorists. NHTSA has a vested interest in addressing the types of motorist behaviors that pose a risk to motorcyclists. In years past, and enshrined in statutory language, these efforts have been bundled under the moniker of “Share The Road.”

For more information on the “Share The Road” campaigns click here.

Below are the dates and locations for the kick-off events that Motorcycle Ohio will be conducting.

Valley View, Quaker Steak & Lube – June 12, 5pm – 9pm

5935 Canal Road,

Valley View, OH 44125

Austintown, Quaker Steak & Lube – June 13, 6pm – 9pm

5800 Patriot Blvd

Austintown, OH 44515

Canal Winchester, The Ugly Mug Bar & Grill - June 20 - 5pm - 9pm

9645 Basil Western Road, NW

Canal Winchester, OH 43110

4TH OF JULY - DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER

Enforcement Campaign Materials

Americans love to celebrate the 4th of July with family, friends, food, and fireworks. But all too often the festivities turn tragic on the nation's roads. This iconic American holiday is also one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to drunk-driving crashes.

Over the 4th of July holiday period in 2017 (6 p.m. June 30 to 5:59 a.m. July 5):

601 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. 39% (237) of those fatalities occurred in alcohol-impaired crashes. This is a 23% increase from 2016, during which 192 people were killed during the same holiday period.
60% of those who died in alcohol-impaired crashes were in a crash involving at least one driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .15 or higher.

These enforcement marketing tools can be used to fit your needs and objectives while, at the same time, partnering with other states, communities, and organizations on this drunk driving prevention initiative.

For the 4th of July Enforcement Campaign materials and information, click here.
For 4th of July "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" (social norming) marketing materials, click here.

Drug Recognition Expert Program

The Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Program is a traffic safety program that focuses on the detection, apprehension and adjudication of drug-impaired drivers.

A DRE is a law enforcement officer highly trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than or in addition to alcohol.

For more information, upcoming training dates and how to apply for this free training, please view the DRE Application, School Information and upcoming classes by clicking here.

Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE)

ARIDE Classes are being offered free of charge through the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy

Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) provides officers with general knowledge related to drug impaired driving and to promote the use of Drug Recognition Experts (DRE). Law enforcement officers will learn to observe, identify and articulate the signs of impairment related to drugs, alcohol, or a combination of both, in order to reduce the number of impaired driving crashes.

For upcoming classes and how to register click here.

CLICK IT OR TICKET - MAY 20 TO JUNE 2 - THANK YOU

Submitted by Rachel Farinelli - Coordinator Cuyahoga County Safe Communities

I wanted to share information about the Cuyahoga County Safe Communities Click it or Ticket Kickoff Event. The event was very successful and received media from Fox 8 and Channel 19.

“On Wednesday, May 15^th the Cuyahoga County Safe Communities Coalition hosted their Click it or Ticket Kickoff Event at the North Coast Harbor Script Cleveland sign. The L and swoosh underneath iconic script Cleveland sign were transformed into a five foot seat belt – reminding Clevelanders and visitors to buckle up before hitting the road. The kickoff event included remarks from a Cleveland Police Officer, Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper and the Assistant Chief Trauma Surgeon from University Hospitals, sharing their experiences that illustrate the importance of seat belts. The sign remained buckled up until Friday, May 17^th. Clevelanders were invited to take a selfie with the sign and use #BuckleUpCLE on social media to help spread the important seat belt message.”

PORTAGE COUNTY - SAVED BY THE BELT

Submitted by Lynette Blasiman - Portage County Safe Communities Coordinator

As part of the Portage County "Click It or Ticket" kickoff at Aurora Farms, Mr. Greg Cararelli was presented a "Saved By the Belt" award by Portage County Safe Communities and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

On May 2, 2019 Mr. Cafarelli survived a head-on crash on State Route 82 in Portage because he wore his seat belt. Something he's been doing since he started driving.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Jeffrey Greene, commander of the Ravenna Post, said after reviewing the crash and the circumstances he believes the crash could have been fatal had the drivers not been wearing their seat belts.

To view the complete story and video from Fox 8 Cleveland, click here.

CLARK COUNTY PARTNERS FOR "CLICK IT OR TICKET"

Submitted by Emma Smales - Clark County Safe Communities Coordinator

Story by the Springfield Sun News

The Clark County Safe Communities Coalition along with local and state law enforcement agencies combined Friday afternoon to kick off the Click It or Ticket national campaign at the Clark County Fairgrounds to increase seatbelt usage and save lives.

The enforcement period is done prior to the Memorial Day holiday weekend, one of the heaviest travel weekends of the year. The 2019 National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization began May 20 and runs through June 2.

Representatives of the Clark County Combined Health District and AAA Miami Valley & Northwest Ohio joined Lt. Brian Aller of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Lt. Brett Bauer of the Springfield Police Department, Lt. Mike Holler of the Enon Police Department and Deputy Joe Johnson of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office in greeting those entering or exiting the Springfield Swap Meet and Car Show.

Those wearing seatbelts were rewarded with discount cards for Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken and those not wearing them were given a friendly reminder card with statistics on the dangers of not doing so.

This is the tradition’s 18th year locally according to Emma Smales of the CCHD. She said the effort is to try to make the kickoff fun and informative.

Aller said he enjoys the close-knit interaction with his fellow law enforcement officers and the message they’re sending to the public, mentioning it’s heartbreaking to have to inform moms, dads and children following an accident where a seatbelt wasn’t worn.

“Airbags are good for one impact, but it’s the secondary crash involvement that kills people, like rollovers,” he said.

Aller said in about 56 percent of fatal car crashes locally in 2018 the victims weren’t wearing seatbelts. Excuses for not wearing seatbelts range from not going fast, being a careful driver and only driving a short distance.

Natalie Sherry, a trauma program manager with Kettering Health Network, was one of the volunteers helping the effort, and got to mark a goal off her bucket list - riding in the back of a cruiser, which she did to get to the fairground entrance.

TRAFFIC SAFETY MATERIALS

OTSO offers materials for numerous traffic safety campaigns, including impaired driving, restraint usage, distracted driving, and motorcycles. Utilizing the numerous materials found here can make an impact that will reach beyond your community. By raising public awareness YOU can help save lives. The order form can be found by clicking here.