Transportation Safety Newsletter, May 2020

Oregon Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 04/30/2020 01:29 PM PDT

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May 2020

Absent Traffic Jams, Many Drivers Getting More Reckless

Car driving at night in the rain, reckless driving

State highway safety officials across the country are seeing a severe spike in speeding, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Many states have reported alarming speed increases, with some noting a significant surge in vehicles clocked at 100 mph or more. Our mission is to save lives – so if you must drive, buckle up, follow the posted speed limit, and look out for pedestrians and bicyclists. Emergency rooms in many areas of the country are at capacity, and the last thing they need is additional strain from traffic crash victims.

Transportation Activity Booklet

Many of us are helping children or grandchildren keep learning during these unusual times – and we want to help. Our staff put together a fun, educational Transportation Activity booklet with puzzles, coloring pages and more – share and enjoy! (P.S. It’s for kids of all ages… even adults!)

Teen driver with parent providing instruction

Youth Traffic Safety Month

During Global Youth Traffic Safety Month in May, we are sharing information for parents of newly licensed teen drivers you can use to help your teen get the experience they need behind the wheel to become safer drivers. DriveitHOME™ is an initiative of the National Safety Council with free resources for parents.

Being TireWise

Being TireWise is essential to safe driving according to NHTSA. The only thing between you and the road are your tires. TireWise provides drivers with information about buying tires, tire maintenance and labeling, aging, fuel efficiency, and tire retailers. TireWise is also a resource for tire manufacturers, sellers and other partners to provide essential information to consumers for choosing and caring for their tires. It all starts in the garage!

Safe Routes to School Webinar Series

Oregon Safe Routes to School has created a series of webinars, as well as information about the SRTS construction grant application.

Measuring Traffic Safety and Economic Impact

In 2018, over 36,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes and over 3 million were injured in the U.S. The estimated cost of motor vehicle crashes is over $800 billion annually. The number of deaths and the fatality rate declined from 2007-2014, but have risen since then. The U.S. Congressional Research Service released a new report Federal Traffic Safety Programs: In Brief to summarize opportunities for federal initiatives that would improve highway safety.