We all love to celebrate the 4th of July with family, friends, food, and fireworks, but all too often the festivities turn tragic on our nation's roads. The fact is, this American holiday also brings increased drinking and impaired driving with potential deadly consequences:
In 2021, 15 people in Ohio died in motor vehicle crashes over the July 4th holiday period. 40% (6) of those fatalities occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.
In 2021, 62.7% of Ohio's alcohol-related crashes over the July 4th holiday weekend occurred between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
46 crashes over last year's July 4th holiday period in Ohio were considered drug-related. 4 people were seriously injured, and 5 were killed.
Save The Date for Speed Awareness Day 2022
July 27, 2022 / Voluntary Speed Enforcement Period
In 2016, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) Traffic Safety Committee founded Illinois Speed Awareness Day. This program brought together numerous traffic safety partners and organizations with a goal of raising public awareness about the dangers excessive speeding creates on Illinois roadways and reducing speed related crashes, specifically fatal and serious injury crashes. This year, Illinois is expanding this effort to all National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 5 member states, including Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. This voluntary speed enforcement effort will take place on July 27, 2022 and requires registration and reporting through a website created by the state of Illinois.
Click HERE to access the online tracking form to report your agency's enforcement efforts and activity
Thank you in advance for your participation!
More details about messaging and reporting will be shared soon in upcoming editions of TrafficWise!
New Communication Card to Help Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals Communicate with Law Enforcement
Developed by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities & statewide law enforcement partners
This new communication card which can be downloaded onto a phone or printed and stored inside a vehicle, wallet, or purse, includes various pictures that deaf and hard of hearing individuals can point to in order to help them more easily communicate during interactions with law enforcement.
“Removing barriers for Ohioans with disabilities is crucial for helping them live self-determined independent lives,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “This new communication tool will improve safety for the deaf and hard of hearing community as well as law enforcement officers across the state.”
The card displays icons of common violations and provides tips for law enforcement to help officers effectively communicate with those who are hard of hearing or deaf.
“Approximately 303,000 Ohioans are deaf or hard of hearing,” said Kevin Miller, OOD Director. “We appreciate our partners from the Community Centers for the Deaf, Deaf World Against Violence Everywhere, and the Coalition for Deaf Access and Equity for collaborating on this practical solution to help bridge communication gaps and improve understanding.”
The Buckeye State Sheriffs Association, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, and Ohio State Highway Patrol also participated in the development of the card.
“We believe that communication between law enforcement and all citizens is important,” said Tom Stickrath, Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. “OTSO will also print and distribute copies of the card to Ohio law enforcement agencies across the state so that they can have a copy to carry with them.”
Click here to order these materials to share and distribute in your community.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RESOURCE PROSECUTORS VIDEO TRAINING SERIES
RECENT VIDEO
COMBATING ALCOHOL AND DRUG - IMPAIRED DRIVING (IIHS), to view this video click here.
PREVIOUS VIDEOS
TO MEET THE TSRP'S AND LEARN WHAT TRAINING IS AVAILABLE TO LAW ENFORMCEMENT AND PROSECUTORS, click here.
TRAFFIC SAFETY CASE LAW UPDATE FOR 2020 - to view this video click here.
OHIO INTOXILYZER 8000 FOR PROSECUTORS - to view click here.
Stay tuned to future issues of TrafficWise as new videos are released.
The nationwide seat belt use rate was 90.4% in 2021. What is it going to take to get that remaining 9.6% of motor vehicle occupants to buckle up, especially as new NHTSA data indicate that unrestrained vehicle occupant fatalities increased 3% last year and remain above pre-pandemic levels? Innovative programs are needed to address this pervasive issue and make sure everyone is properly restrained in a seat belt or child safety seat. Join experts from public health, community organizations, the private sector and law enforcement to learn what approaches they’re taking to address this lifesaving issue.
Moderator: Kerry Chausmer, Director of Programs and Member Services, GHSA
Panelists: • Kristin Smith, Global Head of Road Safety Policy, Uber • Jackie Stackhouse, Health Educator, Morristown Medical Center • Tenille Kimberlin, Director of Traffic Safety, Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office • Tim Burrows, National Law Enforcement Liaison Program Manager, GHSA
Click HERE to register for this FREE 1 hour webinar on Wednesday July 13 at 2 p.m.
Description: Despite defense claims that the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) miss the mark in identifying drug-impaired drivers, the SFSTs are, in fact, a valuable tool for law enforcement to rely upon in identifying drug impairment. Join the Wisconsin TSRPs as they delve into these assertions by the defense bar. This session will address what, if any, evidence the defense bar has to support their claims and it will offer practical tips on how to respond to such challenges.
There is no charge to attend this webinar, but you must register in advance. Click here for complete information and registration information.
SEPTEMBER TRAFFIC TUESDAY WEBINAR
Title: Mellanby Effect: A LEO's Perspective on Homeostasis & Burn Off
Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Time: 2:00p-3:30p Eastern
Presenter: Det. Tom Heller, Seattle Police Department
Description: This session will explain from a law enforcement perspective the many factors to review to determine if a defendant is safely off the roadway, including specifics on the scientific phenomena at play in why alcohol impaired people choose to drive. It will explain the background behind homeostasis and burn-off, and discuss how these scientific factors come into play in a DUI case so that both prosecutors and law enforcement officers can better explain and articulate these factors in order to better investigate and prosecute DUI cases. This session is a crucial follow-up to a prior session on the Mellanby Effect conducted by Washington State TSRP Miriam Norman, which explained these factors from a prosecutor's perspective; this session will provide both prosecutors and law enforcement officers with even more information on these factors, this time from the eyes of a law enforcement officer.
There is no charge to attend this webinar, but you must register in advance. Click here for complete information and registration information.
WEBINAR WEDNESDAY SERIES - JUNE 2022
The Ohio Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program is excited to announce the new sessions of the Florida TSRP Program’s “Webinar Wednesday” Series. These sessions are non-state-specific and are intended to assist prosecutors and law enforcement nationwide -- all are welcome.
Specific information on each of the listed sessions below is provided by clicking here. You will need to register for each session individually. All sessions are approved (or pending) with the Ohio Supreme Court for the specific CLE amounts and categories listed below for Ohio attorneys for LIVE ATTENDANCE ONLY.
Here is a list of the upcoming Florida TSRP Program's "Webinar Wednesday" Series.
Title: How Do You Know? Understanding Understanding, and Ways to Do It Better to Enhance Traffic Investigations
Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2022 (1.5 hr. CLE Credit pending)
Time: 1p-230p Eastern
Presenter: Det. Tom Heller, Seattle Police Department
To view descriptions of these sessions along with registration information, click 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.
To view the upcoming classes and to register, 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.
Supporting Ohio’s Older Drivers
People age 65 and older make up the fastest growing segment of drivers nationally and in Ohio. We know that older drivers are safer drivers, but due to increased fragility as they age, they are more likely to be severely injured or killed in a crash.
The Strategic Highway Safety Plan’s (SHSP) Older Road User Emphasis Area, chaired by AAA, is working to reduce the number of serious injury and fatal crashes among drivers age 65 and older.
A five-year Older Road User Action Plan focuses on: infrastructure, alternative transportation, medically at-risk drivers and education.
showcases the plan’s work and provides free resources for older drivers, their family members and caregivers, law enforcement and traffic safety advocates.
Highlights include:
A downloadable copy of the state’s “Stay Fit to Drive” handout;
An older driver safety assessment checklist
The Safe Routes to Age in Place report and Toolkit to assist communities in thinking about transportation options for older populations;
Driver Orientation Screen for Cognitive Impairment (DOSCI) video and quick handout card for law enforcement to use to identify cognitively-impaired drivers;
A link to the CarFit website, which is a program to help older drivers find the safest fit in their vehicle;
And much more
In addition to these online resources, printed versions of many of these materials are available to law enforcement agencies, Safe Communities programs and others.
Request Stay Fit to Drive materials by sending an email to: Caraline Griffith, PE caraline.griffith@dot.ohio.gov - ODOT Office of Program Management. Please include your full mailing address along with "Stay Fit to Drive" in the subject line. There are no costs to request these materials. Stay Fit to Drive booklets and Stay Fit to Drive Safe Older Driver Safety Self-Assessmentchecklists are available in packs of 50.
REMEMBER the OTSO offers materials for numerous traffic safety campaigns, including impaired driving, restraint usage, distracted driving, speeding 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.
