Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

February 3, 2020 

Year-to-Date Confirmed Traffic Fatalities, Current versus Previous Year

FATAL CRASHES 2020 YEAR TO DATE MAP can be found here.

FATAL COMPARISON MAP can be found here.

Communication Disabilities Database Makes Law Enforcement Aware During Traffic Stops

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS), released an awareness video on January 24, 2020 explaining how individuals with a diagnosed communication disability can voluntarily enroll in a database to inform law enforcement of their communication disability.

Any individual with a medically diagnosed communication disability who drives or regularly has someone with a medically diagnosed communication disability in their vehicle, can voluntarily enroll in a database that connects to the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). The law enforcement officer is then aware that the driver or a person in the vehicle may have difficulty communicating and can approach the vehicle with awareness to help avoid a situation that could become harmful to either the individual with a communication disability or to the officer.

“Since taking office last year, I’ve made clear my commitment to establishing Ohio as a Disability Inclusion State and Model Employer of Individuals with Disabilities,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “This is a way to better include individuals with communication disabilities.”  

Individuals interested can take a verification form to a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist to validate a communication disability. Completed forms should be submitted to the BMV.

“We want everyone to know about this Ohio law and how it supports the safety of people in our community who have challenges communicating,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “This is a great way to boost understanding, but we need participation to make it happen.” 

"This has been a game changer for individuals with communication disabilities,” said Kevin Miller, Director of OOD. “By opting in, a communication disability is flagged for law enforcement, but exact disabilities (e.g., deaf, hard of hearing, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder) remain private.”

“Being able to obtain information about an individual with a communication disability is an invaluable resource for Ohio law enforcement,” said Tom Stickrath, Director of ODPS. “This allows for improved communication which in turn creates trust, community stability, and officer safety.”

The video, additional information about the Communication Disability Law, and additional quotes of support are available at https://ood.ohio.gov/Information/Communication-Disability-Law.

OOD is the state agency responsible for empowering Ohioans with disabilities through employment, disability determinations, and independence.

To view the complete Ohio Collaborative Bulletin, click here.

Motorcycle Ohio TRAINING COURSE Registration OPENS January 21

Motorcycle Ohio’s training course registration opens Tuesday, January 21, 2020. The motorcycle training courses are conducted from April until early November. Approximately 12,000 students register each year in Ohio for a motorcycle training course.

Basic Rider Skills (BRS)

The BRS is a 16-hour course recommended for novice riders. BRS students must have a valid Temporary Instruction Permit Identification Card (TIPIC) to participate in the course. Motorcycles and helmets are provided. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will earn the BMV skill-test waiver for a motorcycle license or endorsement.

Basic Rider Skills for Returning Riders (BRS-RR)

The BRS-RR is an 8-hour course designed for riders 18 years of age or older who have been riding with a temporary permit for longer than one year (over 1,00 miles of experience), or an experienced rider returning after an extended time away from riding. BRS-RR students must have a valid motorcycle TIPIC, license or endorsement to participate in the course. Motorcycles and helmets are provided. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will earn the BMV skill-test waiver for a motorcycle license or endorsement.

Basic Rider Skills 2 (BRS-2)

This 7-hour, one-day, range-only course (no formal classroom session) requires a motorcycle TIPIC, license or endorsement.  This class is also suitable for newly endorsed/licensed riders.  Students will use their own street legal two-wheeled motorcycle and helmet. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will earn the BMV skill-test waiver for a motorcycle license or endorsement. Passengers are permitted in the BRS-2 course with a licensed or endorsed motorcycle rider.

Please visit www.motorcycle.ohio.gov for more information about Motorcycle Ohio’s training courses and locations.

Registration is now open.

The Ohio Safety Congress & Expo, now in its 90th year, is the second-largest occupational safety, health, and workers’ compensation event in the U.S. Last year’s event attracted more than 8,000 attendees from Ohio businesses and government, and more than 300 exhibitors. Registration is FREE!

For three days, OSC 2020 provides world-class workplace safety and health education, in-depth workshops, live demonstrations and much more. The Expo Marketplace, with more than 300 exhibitors on hand, will be abuzz with energy throughout the event.

For more information and to register, click here.

To view the remaining “Dazzling Dozen” in this issue of GroundWork, click here.

Saint Patrick's Day Social Norming Campaign - Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving If you’re heading out to a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, make sure you have more than just the luck o’ the Irish on your side. This holiday - March 17, 2020 - is one of the biggest drinking nights of the year, and this, unfortunately, means more drunk drivers on the roads. Drunk driving accounts for nearly one-third of vehicle-related fatalities in the United States. This St. Patrick’s Day weekend, remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. If you plan to go out and enjoy the evening with alcohol, make sure you refrain from driving. Review these facts and share the word about the dangers of drunk driving so you can continue merry-making for all the St. Paddy’s Days to come. Use these marketing tools to reach out to your community about the dangers of drinking and driving on this day. These materials will partner your office with other States, communities, and organizations on this drunk driving prevention initiative: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over for enforcement, or Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving for social norming.

U Drive. U Text. U Pay.
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

U Drive - U Text - U Pay is a campaign centered on aiding law enforcement officers in their efforts to keep distracted drivers off the road. Distracted driving is a first offense in many states and continues to gain recognition across the nation as a deadly problem.

This campaign is targeted to men and women 18 to 34 years old with a skew toward females.

Use these law enforcement campaign materials to raise awareness in your community about the consequences of texting while driving. These enforcement materials do not focus on social norming - for those materials, please refer to:

• One Text Or Call Could Wreck It All campaign (social norming)
• General/Evergreen Resources

For more information, facts, and toolkits, please visit www.Distraction.gov

By raising public awareness on Distracted Driving,  YOU can help save lives. Materials like this can be ordered using the order form found by clicking here.

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. 

The ARIDE program stresses the importance of the signs and symptoms of the seven drug categories.  Officers attending this course will receive an update/refresher of Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFSTs) and must successfully pass an SFST proficiency evaluation.  This training also promotes interaction with representatives from the state's prosecution community who are encouraged to attend. The instructors for this course are all Ohio DRE certified instructors. Prerequisite:  Law enforcement officers must have had training in SFST (previously ADAP). This course is funded through an OTSO/NHTSA grant and is free for sworn Ohio law enforcement officers and prosecutors only.  Tuition for out-of-state officers is $250. London instructor(s): Dwight Underwood Richfield instructor(s): Mike Golec The view the upcoming classes and to register, click here.

To view the flyer with registration information for Xenia, click here.

To view the flyer with registration information for Ontario, click here.

To view the flyer with registration information for Milford, click here.

To view the flyer with registration information for Lima, click here.

To view the flyer with registration information for Cincinnati, click here.

To view the agenda and registration information, 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.

To view more information on Lifesavers, click here.

To view the registration brochure, click here.

REMEMBER the 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.

Archives