Class is in session!  What class, you ask?  Traffic Safety 101, where the course of study is safe driving behaviors.

What you need to know

Did you know that in Delaware a crash is reported every 25 minutes and a person is injured nearly every hour?  More disturbing, on average, a traffic-related fatality occurs every 3 ½ days.  Consider these facts:

• Over a three year period, the deadliest months of the year were June, July, and August.
• So far this year, 46% of all crashes have been caused by aggressive driving behaviors, including speeding and failure to yield the right of way.
• Pedestrian deaths are again on the rise in the First State.  Eleven pedestrians have been killed so far this year, accounting for almost one-quarter (21%) of all persons killed.
• Fortunately, alcohol-related deaths have declined so far this year when compared to this date in 2011, but DUI arrests are climbing steadily. Nearly 2500 people have been arrested in 2012.

What you can do

Every day there is a traffic crash in the news.  The majority of them are preventable if everyone would follow the rules of the road:

• Respect the Sign – Drive calmly and in control.  Be aware of others on the road. Follow posted
  traffic signs and signals.
• Drive Sober – Always have a safe ride home.  Designate a sober driver or plan a safe route home with DART.
• Respect your Ride – Know your motorcycle. Know the road.  Wear appropriate safety gear.
• Be visible while walking and biking – Be safe.  Be seen. Only cross the road at marked intersections and cross walks.
• Always buckle up – A seat belt is your best defense against unsafe drivers.

This is one class that you do not want to fail because the consequences can be deadly.  Apply what you have learned and you will graduate Traffic Safety 101 at the head of the class.

Drive Safe.  Arrive Alive DE.

This message is brought to you by the Office of Highway Safety, who asks you to drive safely at all times.  For more information on this and other traffic safety programs, go to www.ohs.delaware.gov.

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