THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS DURING THESE UNUSUAL TIMES
To all of our Ohio Traffic Safety Partners
The Ohio Traffic Safety Office would like to say Thank You for all of your continued efforts focusing on Traffic Safety during this unusual and difficult year. We are getting ready to embark on the Impaired Driving mobilizations that through your efforts of increased enforcement and public awareness will work toward our goals of saving lives and reducing injuries on Ohio's roadways.
With 49 other states, a number of U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office is proud to be working with the finest group of Law Enforcement, Safe Communities and Traffic Safety Partners in the Country.
Ohio has over 123,031 miles of roadways. This includes State, County, Township, Municipal, Federal and Park Roads. In 2019, with Ohio being at the cross roads of our nation, there were over 113 billion vehicle miles traveled on Ohio roads. The task we face is immense and as Ohioans we care about making sure everyone gets to their destination safely.
Again, Thank You for all that you do and we are proud to be partners with you for the safety of Ohio and those who travel Ohio's roadways. - OTSO
LABOR DAY
DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER MOBILIZATION
August 2020 Impaired Driving Updates
The national enforcement mobilization “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” will take place August 19 through September 7, 2020. The high-visibility enforcement (HVE) mobilization works to increase the message of the dangers of impaired driving and increase enforcement of impaired driving laws. The campaigns included in the mobilization: If You feel Different You Drive Different, Drive High Get a DUI, Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over.
August 19– September 7, 2020: Paid media advertisement
August 26– September 7, 2020: National enforcement mobilization
To view the complete August 2020 Impaired Driving Updates from NHTSA, click here.
Impaired Driving High-Visibility Enforcement Kickoff – Join the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wed., Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. ET for a virtual press conference focused on coordinated Federal and State high-visibility enforcement efforts to combat alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. Register here >>
Special Notice
2020 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over National Mobilization
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ohio, updates to the August Calendar and events surrounding the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" national mobilization will be subject to change.
Updates will be distributed as they become available.
Thank you - OTSO
Child Safety
Heatstroke Prevention
There have been 851 children who have died due to vehicular heatstroke since 1998 (reference: https://www.noheatstroke.org). All of these deaths could have been prevented.
These are the statistics as of May 28, 2020:
Child heatstroke fatalities in 2020 - 2
Child heatstroke fatalities in 2019 - 52
Child heatstroke fatalities in 2018 - 53
Child heatstroke fatalities in 2017 - 44
National average of child heatstroke fatalities per year since 1998 - 39
Find and share campaign information for parents, caregivers, schools and organizations, and remind everyone to
The 2020 national enforcement mobilization "Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over" goes into effect across the country from August 19 to September 7, 2020. One of the deadliest and most often committed - yet preventable - of crimes (impaired driving), has become a serious safety epidemic in our country.
August 19 - September 7, 2020 [paid media advertisement]
August 26 - September 7, 2020 [national enforcement mobilization]
As law enforcement professionals and highway safety advocates, your efforts will help reduce the number of drunk drivers on the roads and save lives. By increasing State enforcement efforts, raising public awareness through paid, earned, and social media, and maximizing your local resources, you can make a difference.
Use these enforcement materials found here to crack down on drunk drivers and increase community awareness of the dangers of drunk driving.
To view the 2015-2020 YTD Ohio Motorcycle-Related Traffic Crashes by Severity and also the Ohio Motorcycle-Related Traffic Crashes Involving Alcohol by Severity, click here.
Child Passenger Safety Week
September 20-26, 2020 (Child Passenger Safety Week) / September 26, 2020 (National Seat Check Saturday)
Every 32 seconds in 2018, one child under the age of 13 in a passenger vehicle was involved in a crash. Many times, injuries and deaths can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts.
NHTSA and the Ad Council launched a new series of public service ads (PSAs) that urge parents and caregivers to protect their child’s future at every stage of life, by making sure they secure them in the correct car seat for their age, height, and weight.
The campaign materials were created pro bono by Campbell Ewald, Casanova McCann, Mister Face, and Wordsworth & Booth and include English and Spanish radio, print, outdoor, and web banner ads. The English PSAs direct to NHTSA.gov/TheRightSeat and the Spanish PSAs direct to NHTSA.gov/Protegidos, where parents can find more information on how to determine if their child is in the right seat for his or her age and size. Use these free safety materials to generate awareness about child car safety in your community throughout the year.
You can also visit PSACentral to download the latest work.
Want to customize one of our radio or print PSAs with the tag of your local DOT or organization? Please email Elizabeth at elizabeth.nilsson@dot.gov for more information on this process:
For more information on Child Passenger Safety Week and National Seat Check Saturday, click here.
Due to COVID-19, please note that ODOT’s Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center is unable to host in-person training courses at this time. However, many other training resources are currently available through LTAP, including a variety of free webinars, eLearning courses and publications!
Evolution of Recycled Plastic Roundabout Design – August 18. Click here for registration information.
ODOT Curb Ramp Updates Webinar – August 20. Click here for registration information.
Roadway Drainage Webinar Series (Replay) – August 25-27. Click here for registration information.
Click here to visit the LTAP Webinars webpage with listings of additional upcoming topics.
Click here to visit the LTAP eLearning webpage for details on how to access more than 250 free online courses/modules. Topics include Road Diets, Roadway Departure Countermeasures and many others.
Click here to visit the LTAP Route of Navigation (RON) Educational series, with links to dozens of resource publications for topic categories such as Access Management, Roadway Safety, Signage and Work Zone Safety.
In collaboration with the Ohio Fire Academy, Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) we would like to invite you to attend a one-day, First Responder Summit: Wellness, Self-Care and Resilience. This on-line summit will take place on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 from 8 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. Ohio Emergency Management Agency Director Sima Merick will provide the opening keynote address regarding partnerships and collaboration. A number of topics will be covered including assisting First Responder families, building relationships between the First Responder community and mental health resources in their area, immediate and long term effects of trauma on First Responders. The Summit will feature lived experience panel who will talk about their journey to wellness and resilience.
The summit is targeted to First Responders; Law Enforcement, Fire Service, ES, Dispatch and Corrections. Plans are underway to provide training and technical assistance for those who work with First Responders at a later date.
There is no cost for attendance. You may register in advance if you have a State Fire Academy account or you can join us the day of the summit through the attached links.
If you have any questions, please contact Steve Click, First Responder Liaison, Ohio Mental Health & Addiction Services Steven.click@mha.ohio.gov 614-466-9938
OVI BOOTCAMP FOR PROSECUTORS
WHEN: September 29-30, 2020
WHERE: Aloft Newport on the Levee, 201 E. 3rd St., Newport, KY
WHO: Municipal and County Prosecutors
HOW: This course is being hosted by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office/ Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor/ Ohio Drug Evaluation and Classification programs. Funding is provided in part or solely by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is free for prosecutors. Lodging scholarships may be available to those in need and traveling more than 50 miles to attend the training. Funds are limited so please apply early.
REGISTRATION: Email Robert Wakefield at rwake@dps.ohio.gov by September 1, 2020. PLEASE DO NOT DELAY…. WE ANTICIPATE A GOOD RESPONSE. SPACE IS LIMITED TO 20.This course has been approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education for 11.00 total CLE hours, with 1.00 of attorney professional conduct instruction. Please contact Holly Reese, Ohio Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor at hreesetsrp@gmail.com or (330) 904-8971 with questions.
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 Defiance, 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.
Submitted by Michele Piko - Statewide Coordinator -mapiko@dps.ohio.gov
Motorcycling is a great way to commute to work, enjoy the sights and sounds of nature, or spend time with family or friends.
It also requires coordination, skill and good judgement. Motorcycling challenges you to be physically and mentally prepared to handle anything that comes your way.
Any physical or mental condition that reduces your attentiveness, fogs your judgment, or interferes with your riding abilities impairs your safety.
Every year, nearly 40% of riders killed in Ohio motorcycle crashes had been drinking. Simply put, motorcycles and alcohol do not mix.
You may not be the one impaired, but riding with an impaired rider in your group puts you at risk.
That's why Motorcycle Ohio follows a national initiative to encourage riders to Ride SMART: Sober Motorcycle-Endorsed Alert, with the Right Gear, and Trained
It's also noted that single-vehicle crashes involving motorcycles are over-represented in crash data. The cause is almost always rider error... error that might be attributed to alcohol.
Commit to separating the use of alcohol (and other drugs) from riding a motorcycle.
In addition to not drinking and riding, Motorcycle Ohio recommends wearing proper protective gear and getting trained.
Submitted by Teresa Carper, Ohio State Coordinator for SADD
As we have heard “We Are In This Together Ohio”, and this is so true, especially for those of us who are use to promoting traffic safety as a manner where we see the public in person and use our presence to create events, press conferences, or teach the value of making safe driving habits a part of our daily life. This is especially true for teens, as they are still new to driving and may have more stress in their lives than we might imagine. Learning new ways to do this is not very comfortable for those of us who enjoy the interaction at fairs, festivals, and schools or who did not grow up in a time when a computer was just a reach away. We all have had to make great changes to keep our important safety programs intact and to keep spreading the word that crashes on our roadways was an epidemic in itself before this health crisis and will continue long after this time is past. But, Teen Driver Safety does continue with a little help from all our friends such as Safe Communities programs, Law Enforcement, other Coordinators who work with teens, Coalitions, and even businesses or non-profits that are not a part of the traffic safety world. It is time to think outside the box and to take a chance to learn something new and keep our message alive.
To view the complete message from our Partners at SADD, 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.
