On September 2, 2020, Governor DeWine announced three new traffic-safety efforts aimed at reducing the number of fatalities on Ohio's roads and better ensuring that Ohio's young drivers have the necessary skills to safely navigate the streets.
Ohio Traffic Safety Council: The new council, led by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, will be composed of representatives of several state agencies and outside groups. The role of the council will be to coordinate and monitor all statewide traffic safety initiatives, analyze trends, and advise the Governor on creating safer roads through education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency response.
Work Zone Enforcement: Because enforcing traffic laws can be a challenge in work zones, the Ohio State Highway Patrol Aviation Unit, which already conducts speed checks from the air, will conduct targeted enforcement on crash-causing violations in Ohio Department of Transportation construction zones. The increased enforcement is in response to the nearly 9,000 work-zone crashes in Ohio between 2019 and 2020.
Juvenile Court Grants: Eight juvenile courts in Ohio have been awarded grant funding through the Ohio Department of Public Safety to help them provide young drivers more access to advanced driver training. Courts in Adams, Athens, Medina, Knox, Delaware, Miami, Fairfield, and Delaware counties will each receive $20,000 through Ohio's new Youthful Driver Safety Fund which was developed as part of Ohio's biennium budget.
To view this announcement along with messages from Ohio State Highway Patrol Colonel Richard S. Fambro and Ohio Department of Transportation Director Dr. Jack Marchbanks click here. Forward to the 0:00:15 mark to hear more. The videos is approximately 14 minutes long.
THANK YOU TO OHIO'S LAW ENFORCEMENT
From August 26th through September 7th, Ohio's law enforcement was called upon to raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of impairied driving on Ohio's roadways. Use of alcohol and drugs on Ohio's roadways cause impairment and has deadly consequences. The efforts of Ohio's Law Enforcement, not only during this period but throughout the year, do a vaulable service to Ohio, each of our communities and to each and everyone who travel Ohio's roadways.
In order to assist the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) to report Ohio's 2020 Drive Sober of Get Pulled Over efforts to the National Highway Traffic Safety Admininstration ( NHTSA) , we ask that each law enforcement agency report back to OTSO their efforts during the August 26th through September 7th mobilization enforcement period.
Again, we thank each and everyone of our partners for your participation in these lifesaving efforts.
BREATH PERMIT RENEWAL CONTINGENCY PLAN - COVID-19 UPDATE 08/20/2020
To:
Breath Alcohol Testing Operators and Senior Operators
From:
Jeanna Walock, Program Administrator Alcohol and Drug Testing Program
Date:
August 20, 2020
Breath Permit Renewal Contingency Plan - COVID-19 Updated 08/20/2020
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Alcohol and Drug Testing Program will temporarily suspend training classes and in-person Breath Test Operator and Senior Operator permit renewal testing.
For Breath Test Operators and Senior Operators who have a permit with an expiration date prior to November 1, 2020 AND who have not completed a renewal test, click here and follow the instructions to apply for renewal.
BAC Datamaster Proficiency Test form can be found by clicking here.
Intoxilyzer 5000 Proficiency Test form can be found by clicking here.
If you have any questions, contact the Alcohol and Drug Testing Program at BADT@odh.ohio.gov or call (614) 644-4609. We will communicate in the future when we are again able to conduct training classes and in-person renewal testing.
If your I-8000 card expired on 12/31/2019 and you have not completed a renewal test, please contact the above email address with your contact info and 'I-8000 renewal request' in the subject line. ADT staff will contact you to determine a time to conduct renewal testing.
On August 12, 2020, Montana State University and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration put on a virtual summit focusing on Rural Traffic Safety. The webinar acted as a resource to educate state officials on resources available to rural areas and remind drivers of the importance of key safety behaviors, including wearing seat belts and obeying the speed limit. Montana State University hosted the event, and included remarks from:
U.S. Senator Steve Daines,
U.S. Representative Greg Gianforte,
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao,
NHTSA Deputy Administrator James Owens,
Montana State University Vice President for Research Jason Carter,
Western Transportation Institute Executive Director David Kack, and others.
We hope you will use this webinar as a resource. A recording of the virtual event is included in this email.
Please send your questions, comments and feedback to: nhtsa.communication@dot.gov.
On August 19, 2020, NHTSA held an Impaired Driving High-Visibility Enforcement Kickoff – with a virtual press conference focused on coordinated Federal and State high-visibility enforcement efforts to combat alcohol- and drug-impaired driving.
For those who may have missed it, NHTSA recorded the kickoff and can be viewed by clicking here.
Please take the opportunity to view it.
Even though we are wrapping up the 2020 Impaired Driving Mobilizaiton, the messages shared during the kickoff resonate throughout the year. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over, and If You Feel Different, You Drive Different - Drive High, Get a DUI.
2020 CENSUS
Governor DeWine reminded Ohio citizens to complete the 2020 Census.
The Census determines how $675 billion is distributed among the states and Ohio’s representation in Congress.
Those who have not yet completed the census can do so at www.2020Census.gov or by calling 1-844-330-2020.
NHTSA SEPTEMBER IMPAIRED DRIVING UPDATE
Dear Colleagues,
By clicking here, please find the September edition of NHTSA’s Impaired Driving Division Update. In this edition you will find information about the Labor Day High Visibility Enforcement campaign, opportunity to present at the Lifesaver’s Conference, and another edition of the TSRP Traffic Tuesday’s webinar series.
We hope you find the Update helpful.
Healthy wishes,
Morgan Drexler, MPH, CPH
E-mail: morgan.drexler.ctr@dot.gov
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.
Many training resources are currently available through ODOT’s Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center, including a variety of free webinars, eLearning courses and publications!
GIS Crash Analysis Tool (GCAT) – September 23 at 10:00am.
Transportation Information Mapping System (TIMS) – September 23 at 2:00pm.
Interchange Studies (webinar series) – September 22 & 24.
Traffic Calming (webinar series) – September 30 to October 8.
Traffic Signals & Intelligent Transportation Systems (webinar series) – September 29 to October 7.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently published The Role of Law Enforcement in Supporting Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety: An Idea Book.This report shares examples and ideas of how law enforcement can address pedestrian and
bicyclist safety including real-world examples and resources. The PDF version is available online and free of charge at: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/49827.
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.
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.
NOTE: THE DEFIANCE CLASS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 14 IS FULL AND HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 10, 2020
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.
DONUT DRINK AND DRIVE
Submitted by Rachel Farinelli - Cuyahoga County Safe Communities Coordinator
The Cuyahoga County Safe Communities Coalition partnered with the Euclid Police department to host a “Donut Drink and Drive” event at Dunkin Donuts. This event was held on Friday, August 21st. Customers got the opportunity to sign the “I Donut Drink and Drive” pledge card. Those who signed the pledge received a free donut, donated by Dunkin. As a reminder to all who visit, donut pledge cards will be displayed in the window of Dunkin’ Donuts throughout the entire Drive Sober or Get Pulled over mobilization.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY
Submitted by: Kristen Persinger - SC Program Coordinator
Below is the link to our Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Video we did for our DSGPO Awareness Campaign. 😊 😊
We want to thank all of our partners who help make this video possible
Thank you,
Kristen
PORTAGE COUNTY
Submitted by Lynette Blasiman - SC Project Director
This week would have been our county fair, and since it was cancelled we went to 5 different locations and conducted a “virtual fair” to share on our FB page promoting traffic safety here in Portage County.
Please check out the links below of our coalition's efforts.
The Ad Council has focused on drunk driving prevention since 1983, with the release of the now-classic “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” campaign. As the idea of a designated driver became the cultural norm, but alcohol-related driving fatalities began to increase, we recognized the need for a new approach. In 2005, we refreshed our classic campaign with a new message: “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving."
The most recent iteration of the Buzzed Driving Prevention campaign effort prompts young men 21 to 34 to examine their own warning signs of impairment and take responsibility for their decisions behind the wheel by reminding them: If you need to do something to make yourself feel okay to drive, you're not okay to drive. To view the campaign, click here.
DRUGGED IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION
Although several states have legalized marijuana use, driving when impaired by any substance remains illegal in all 50 states and in Washington, D.C.
Many marijuana users don’t see a problem with driving after use, but research shows marijuana can slow reaction time, impair judgment of distance, and decrease coordination - all skills necessary for the safe operating of a vehicle.
Our campaign targets young men aged 18 to 35, many of whom reject the common stereotypes of marijuana users - and reminds viewers that if you feel different, you drive different. Don't drive high. To view the campaign, click here.
TEXTING AND DRIVING PREVENTION
Texting and driving is dangerous—that’s a fact. But even though 94% of Americans recognize it’s dangerous to send a text while driving, and 91% recognize it’s dangerous to read one, many people still do it.
To address the disconnect between awareness and behavior, our campaign addresses the fact that people are personally engaging in a behavior that they know is dangerous. The campaign reminds drivers from 16 to 34 that no one is special enough to text and drive. Text and whatever. Just don’t text and drive.
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children age one to 13. Parents go to great lengths to ensure their children are safe and protected—but when it comes to car safety, many let their guard down.
To ensure parents and caregivers are properly securing their children in the best car seat restraint for their age and size, they can visit NHTSA.gov/TheRightSeat or NHTSA.gov/Protegidos.
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.
