DOVER, Del. (May 19, 2022) — The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is reminding drivers about the lifesaving benefits of wearing a seat belt this spring, during the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. Delaware is joining the national seat belt campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday and runs from May 20 to June 5, 2022.

For this year’s Click It or Ticket seat belt mobilization effort, NHTSA is asking all states to participate in the kickoff event, Border to Border (B2B), a one-day, 4-hour national seat belt awareness event on May 23 that is coordinated by participating state highway safety offices and their respective law enforcement liaisons. The B2B program aims to increase law enforcement participation by coordinating highly visible seat belt enforcement and providing seat belt fact sheets for drivers at heavily traveled state borders.  

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit NHTSA.gov/ciot.

In Delaware, younger occupants are the most likely to be involved in unrestrained crashes. Additionally, almost twice as many males were killed in crashes compared to females. Studies show that males have a lower seatbelt usage rate than females. Of the males killed in crashes, more than half (66%) were unrestrained compared to 34% of females that were not buckled up.

“Over the past year in Delaware, 49 percent of people that were killed in crashes were not wearing a seatbelt,” said Kimberly Chesser, Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “We see the results of not wearing a seat belt all the time. We see the loss of life and so often, it could have been prevented. It’s imperative we get the message out about the importance of seat belt safety to prevent these tragedies from happening.”

OHS is asking drivers and passengers across the country to please make buckling up an automatic habit. Whether you ride in the front seat or the back, and no matter which car seat or booster seat your child may use, everyone’s seat belt should be buckled every trip. Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash.

“You may think you’re safe in a certain vehicle, or on a certain road, but the truth is, you’re safest when you buckle up, no matter what,” said Sarah Cattie, Senior Traffic Safety Program Manager. “Unfortunately, many families are suffering because their loved ones refused to follow this simple step.”

In addition to increased patrols, we want to educate drivers and passengers on the dangers of unbuckled driving and the correct way to buckle up safely:

Consequences of not wearing a seat belt

• Buckling up helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas not buckling up can result in being totally ejected from the vehicle in a crash, which is almost always deadly. 
• Airbags are not enough to protect you; in fact, the force of an airbag can seriously injure or even kill you if you’re not buckled up.
• Improperly wearing a seat belt, such as putting the strap below your arm, puts you and your children at risk in a crash.

Guidelines to buckle up safely

• The lap belt and shoulder belt are secured across the pelvis and rib cage, which are better able to withstand crash forces than other parts of your body.
• Place the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and away from your neck.
• The lap belt rests across your hips, not your stomach.
• NEVER put the shoulder belt behind your back or under an arm.

For more information on the campaign, statistics, and education visit www.arrivealivede.com/buckle-up/

About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety

The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues, such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. Follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety on ArriveAliveDE.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.

Media Contact:
Delaware Office Of Highway Safety
Jason Coleman
jason.coleman@delaware.gov
302-744-2743 (office)
302-943-7293 (cell)

Governor John Carney has proclaimed May as Motorcycle Awareness Month and the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), in support of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety’s (OHS) Motorcycle Safety campaign, urges both motorists and motorcyclists to create a safer ride through education and awareness.

Motorcyclists of all skill levels, both novice and advanced can enroll in a DMV Motorcycle Safety Course. Beginner course benefits include professional training, 10% off your motorcycle liability insurance, exemption from taking the DMV road test and graduates automatically get a license to ride. Advanced course benefits include professional training and 15% off your motorcycle liability insurance.

Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski commented, “We continue to stress the need for increased safety awareness on our roads for all modes of transportation. With the arrival of warm weather, more motorcycles will be on the roads and over half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle. Regardless of how you choose to travel, safety should be everyone’s top priority.”

“Whether it’s your first time on a motorcycle or you’ve been riding for years, please enroll in one of our courses,” urged Director of the Delaware DMV Jana Simpler. “The combination of classroom and road training will not only make you a better driver but will also help reduce the likelihood of a mishap.”
For a list of available courses or enrollment details CLICK HERE, visit dmv.de.gov and search on motorcycle courses, e-mail motorcyclecourse@delaware.gov or contact the below for more information:

Beginner Rider Program
New Castle County – 302-832-5163
Kent County – 302-744-2658
Sussex County – 302-853-1030

Experienced Rider Program
New Castle – 302-862-5163
Kent – 302-744-2658
Sussex – 302-853-1030

In 2021, 24 motorcyclists were killed on a Delaware roadway. This year 3 motorcyclists have died. Even if you are not a motorcyclist, always look twice at intersections, don’t tailgate motorcycles, and eliminate distractions while driving. For more motorcycle safety tips visit https://www.youtube.com/user/delawaredmv. For information on all programs offered by the DMV CLICK HERE or visit DMV.de.gov and click on Driver Services.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) in partnership with the Delaware State Police announce the warning period for the Electronic Speed Safety Program in the I-95 construction zone in Wilmington ends on Sunday, April 17, 2022. Beginning Monday, April 18, 2022, first-time offenders will receive a warning and all subsequent violations will result in a violation notice. Registered vehicle owners will receive a base violation of $20.00 and an additional amount is added for each mile per hour over the posted work zone speed limit in accordance with Del. C. §4169(c).

For example, if the captured violation occurs at a speed of 58 mph, the speed violation is $20.00 plus an additional $13.00 which accounts for $1.00 for each mile per hour over the 45-mph posted work zone speed limit, and the assessment of other fees as set forth in Delaware Code for a total of $74.50. These violations are civil penalties only and no points will be assessed to driver’s licenses.

The goal of the pilot program is to reduce work zone speeds and crashes, change driver behavior, and improve work zone safety for workers and motorists. In 2021, there were 423 crashes in the I-95 work zone in Delaware, an increase of 49 percent in the same area from 2019.

To date, more than 24,000 warnings have been issued, and there has been a 10 percent reduction in speeds on average through the work zone since the program began in January. Additionally, crashes in the work zone have decreased by almost 37 percent compared to the same time period last year.

Use of automated speed enforcement was granted by the Delaware General Assembly in Section 142 of the FY22 Bond Bill as a pilot and only for Restore the Corridor work zone. More information about the program can be found at www.restorethecorridor.com.

From left to right: Jana Tidwell from AAA Mid-Atlantic, Delaware State Police Sergeant Heather Pepper, Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, Daria Benson and family (DelDOT), Tom Neubauer (Kiewit), Jason Sacco (DelDOT), Sarah Powell and family (DelDOT), Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski at NWZAW event in Wilmington

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) encourages everyone to take part in National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), April 11, 2022, through April 15, 2022, and to wear orange on Go Orange Day, April 13 as a reminder to use always caution and drive carefully in and around work zones.

On Monday, Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski, Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, representatives from AAA Mid-Atlantic, the Delaware State Police, and Kiewit gathered in Wilmington adjacent to the I-95 Restore the Corridor work zone to remind motorists the importance of slowing down and paying attention when traveling through work zones. The theme of this year’s campaign: Drive Like Your Family Works Here. If we all work together, we can achieve zero deaths on our roads and in our work zones.

“Keeping our work zones safe is a collective effort,” said Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long. “Together by minimizing distractions, reducing our speed, and obeying posted signs while driving through work zones we can save lives. Keeping our roads, highways, and bridges safe should be all our DelDOT crews are focused on. They should not have to worry about whether or not they’ll make it home for dinner.”

“On any given day, we have hundreds of DelDOT employees and contractors working on our roadways making improvements to keep you safe. We also have our toll collectors working in the middle of our busiest roadways serving our customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski. “This year’s theme is Drive Like Your Family Works Here. So please when you see a construction sign, our employees working along the roadway or going through our toll booths, slow down and Drive Like Your Family Works Here because we don’t ever want to lose a member of our DelDOT Family.”

April 13, 2022 starting at 10:00 am, Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski and representatives from the Delaware Office of Highway Safety and Mumford & Miller Construction will gather for another NWZAW event at American Legion #28 at 31768 Legion Road in Millsboro, Delaware.

Honor the families who have lost loved ones in work zone crashes on Go Orange Day Wednesday, April 13, 2022, and when passing through the Newark, Biddles, and Dover Toll Plazas or driving over the Indian River Inlet Bridge (Charles Cullen Bridge) remember the lights shine orange during April as a reminder of the role we all play in work zone safety.

NWZAW is held in April each year at the traditional start of the construction season when the number of works on our nation’s roadways increases. NWZAW began in 1999 when the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) signed a Memorandum of Agreement pledging to increase public awareness of work zone safety issues through a national media campaign. Since then, awareness has continued to grow, with state agencies and other organizations sponsoring high-visibility education and outreach initiatives.

Discover other actions DelDOT is taking to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on Delaware’s roadways with the Delaware Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Click here to access this multi-agency approach that utilizes education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency medical service strategies, or visit DelDOT.gov.

Local, state police targeting impaired drivers on Route 13 in Delaware, Virginia, and across Maryland.

DOVER, Del. – The collaborative law enforcement Border-to-Border effort kicks off March 15, 2022, as police agencies in eastern Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia team up for this high visibility, life-saving enforcement wave on Route 13 during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period. The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (DOHS), along with law enforcement and transportation officials, are coming together to save lives on their roads.

“Impaired drivers are a continuing problem on our roadways, with increased concerns around St. Patrick’s Day,” said Richard Klepner, Deputy Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “The most important aspect of celebrating is planning ahead by ensuring a sober ride home. Don’t be the reason someone — including yourself — doesn’t get home. Don’t let St. Patrick’s Day become an anniversary of a tragic night.” During the 2021 St. Patrick’s Day period, from Tuesday, March 16, through Sunday, March 21, 2021, there were 27 impaired driver-related crashes, 10 injuries, and one preventable death in Delaware. Law enforcement agencies in Delaware will be conducting multiple saturation patrols for the upcoming Route 13 Border-to-Border effort.

“Drunk driving is 100% preventable by planning ahead for a sober ride,” said Acting Virginia DMV Commissioner Linda Ford, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “If your St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes alcohol, please make sure it also includes a safe ride home.” Last year around St. Patrick’s Day, from Tuesday, March 16, through Sunday, March 21, 2021, there were 128 alcohol-related crashes, 69 injuries and four preventable deaths in Virginia.

Maryland and Virginia will conduct similar enforcement efforts including saturation patrols along the Route 13 corridor from March 16 through March 19.

A major North-South corridor cutting across the Delmarva Peninsula, Route 13 comprises 289 total miles – 137 in Virginia; 103 in Delaware; and 49 in Maryland.

In addition to agencies participating in the border-to-border efforts along Route 13, the following agencies will also be conducting high visibility enforcement across Delaware:

• Bridgeville Police
• Clayton Police
• Dagsboro Police
• Delaware City Police
• Delmar PD
• Dewey Beach Police
• Dover Police
• Elsmere Police
• Fenwick Island Police
• Georgetown Police
• Greenwood Police
• Harrington Police
• Laurel Police
• Lewes Police
• Middletown Police
• Milford Police
• Millsboro Police
• Milton Police
• New Castle City Police
• New Castle Co Police
• Newark Police
• Ocean View Police
• Rehoboth Beach Police
• Seaford Police
• Smyrna Police
• Wilmington
• Wyoming
• DSP

For more information on the campaign, statistics, and education on pedestrian safety, visit ArriveAliveDE.com/Drive-Sober

About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues, such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. Follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety on ArriveAliveDE.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.

Media Contact:
Delaware Office Of Highway Safety
Jason Coleman
jason.coleman@delaware.gov
302-744-2743 (office)
302-943-7293 (cell)