DUI Victim Tree Has First Red Bulbs Of The Season

2 killed & 28 injured in impaired driving related crashes

Dover – This holiday season should be filled with joy and happiness but unfortunately, nearly 30 families have already experienced the heart ache of learning that their loved ones have been injured or killed in an impaired driving related crash.  According to police reports, since the Thanksgiving holiday, there have been 33 impaired driving related crashes that resulted in twenty (28) persons injured and two (2) persons killed.  Subsequently, 28 green light bulbs and 2 red light bulbs will be added to the DUI Victims Trees located in Beebe Hospital, Kent General Hospital, A.I. Dupont Hospital, Dover Downs employee cafeteria, and online at www.DUIRealTime.com/SafeHolidays . These will be the first colored bulbs placed on the trees since the start of the Safe Family Holiday Campaign which began on November 21st.

The DUI Victims Tree project memorializes impaired driving related deaths and injuries that occur during the campaign period by placing colored light bulbs on the tree to represent each victim.  Each red bulb on the tree symbolizes someone killed in an impaired driving related crash in Delaware between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.  Each green light bulb symbolizes someone injured in an impaired driving crash.  Last year, two people were killed and 27 injured in these crashes in Delaware during the holiday season.

DUI saturation patrols will continue throughout the entire holiday season and will supplement already scheduled Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI Checkpoints.  Last weekend 8 people were arrested for DUI as part of Checkpoint Strikeforce.  This brings the total campaign DUI arrests to 305, however there have been 4,511 DUI arrest made in Delaware since January 1st.

There is one checkpoint scheduled to occur this weekend as follows:

Friday December 7th Newport (New Castle County DUI Task Force)- checkpoint

Currently, 42 (or 40%) of the 106 people killed in Delaware traffic deaths since January 1st have been alcohol-related. You can prevent alcohol-related crashes by being a HERO – Be a Designated Driver, or make sure you appoint one before you go out for the evening if you plan to drink alcohol.

For more information on these or any of our other campaign efforts follow us on Twitter @DEHighwaySafe, visit our website for updates at www.ohs.delaware.gov, www.DUIRealTime.com/SafeHolidays or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.


The Delaware Office of Highway Safety Announces Results of Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other. Distracted Driving Enforcement Campaign

Dover, DE – Delaware law enforcement recently concluded the first wave of their tough new high visibility distracted driving enforcement campaign, Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other., and the results are in.

The Office of Highway Safety announced today that between November 7th and 20th, 1,830 drivers were stopped and given distracted driving citations.

“The State issued a total of 1,830 citations during this distracted driving enforcement initiative. We are particularly proud of our law enforcement partners throughout the State who joined with us to send a strong message about the dangers of distracted driving and for the excellent job they did in protecting the citizens of this State. Some police agencies including Greenwood, Newport, Oceanview and Smyrna made an average of more than one arrest an hour,” said Lewis D. Schiliro, Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security.

Even with the success of the first distracted driving campaign, not everyone observed the strong warnings.  The Delaware Office of Highway Safety and all Delaware law enforcement agencies plan to continue their efforts to reduce distracted driving.

“As we complete our first wave of Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other., we are beginning to see our message get through to Delaware drivers,” said Jana Simpler, Director of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “But we are committed to saving lives on Delaware roadways, and drivers should expect to continue to see us enforcing distracted driving laws time and time again.”

The Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other. is a year-long enforcement campaign to reduce distracted driving on Delaware’s roadways. The next special enforcement wave will be conducted in 2013.

Distracted driving consists of any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving.

Nationally in 2010, 3,092 people were killed, and an estimated 416,000 others were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.

For more information on distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov/delaware.


Traffic Safety News – Safe Family Holiday

Could the holidays get any busier?  Between your regular work schedule, family commitments and holiday gatherings – who has time to think about safe driving? You do!  OHS would like to remind everyone that safe driving should never take a holiday.

What you need to know

This year marks the 14th anniversary of the Office of Highway Safety’s Safe Family Holiday campaign, which combines high visibility enforcement and awareness activities.  During this time OHS teams up with the corporate community, hospitals, state agencies and police across the state to promote traffic safety. Did you know…

  • During  the Safe Family Holiday campaign last year, two people were killed in  alcohol-related crashes and another 27 people were injured.
  • In 2011, on average, 30 people were arrested for DUI each week during  sobriety checkpoints and patrols between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
  • Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day last year, aggressive driving behaviors  caused 566 crashes.  These may include speeding, failure to yield,  and ignoring stop signs/red lights.
  • Last year, more than half of the persons killed in crashes on Delaware roads were not wearing their seatbelt.

What you can do

It seems that everyone on the road is in a rush.  Maybe even you.  It is worth the time it takes to be calm and in control while you are behind the wheel this holiday. Remember to:

  • Avoid Distractions. It is hard to be calm and in control when you are distracted. Pre-set the radio to your favorite channel.  Turn the smartphone off and put it away. Keep both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, and your mind on the task of driving.
  • Slow Down and Respect the Sign. Regardless of how others are driving, remain in control of your vehicle.  Obey the posted speed limit signs on the roadway and stop fully at stop signs. If you encounter an aggressive driver, simply remain calm and pull out of the way.
  • Drive Sober. The best way to be in control while driving is to be alcohol-free. Always choose a designated driver before the party begins, or volunteer to be the sober driver for family and friends.
  • Buckle Up. The best way to stay in control of your vehicle is to be properly restrained in the event of a crash. Every trip. Every time. Everyone in the vehicle.

 

Drive Safe.  Arrive Alive DE.

This message is being sent 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.


‘Are You That Guy?’ Aggressive Driving Enforcement Set

Dover – The Office of Highway Safety has coordinated another wave of overtime Aggressive Driving enforcement and is set to conduct enforcement from October 23rd to November 3rd.  Law enforcement agencies participating in the enforcement include Delaware State Police in all three counties, along with the Georgetown, Milford, Newark, New Castle County, Seaford, and Wilmington police departments.  Currently in 2012, 32 of the 83 fatal crashes (39%) have been attributed to aggressive driving behaviors.

Police are being asked to focus on the top four aggressive driving violations in the State of Delaware with the primary focus on drivers who fail to grant the right of way to other drivers.  Failure to grant the right of way violations include drivers who turn left in front of another vehicle, pull out in front of other vehicles at stop signs and fail to merge safely.  It is also the primary contributing factor in aggressive driving related fatal and injury crashes.

Motorists can be charged with aggressive driving is when an officer observes a driver committing three or more traffic violations in a single incident such as speeding, failing to yield right of way, tailgating, making improper lane changes, running red lights or stop signs.   Drivers cited for aggressive driving will get 6 points on their licenses and fines between $100 and $300.   They are also required to pay an additional $100 and complete an 8 hour behavior modification/attitudinal driving course within 90 days after the conviction for aggressive driving. Failure to attend the course will result in suspension of the individuals driving privilege.

To learn more about aggressive driving and find out if you are ‘that guy’ take the quiz here www.AggressivedrivingDE.com. For more information on Respect The Sign campaign or any of the other OHS campaigns visit www.ohs.delaware.gov, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE or follow us on Twitter @DEHighwaySafe.


198 DUI Arrests To Date for the Checkpoint Strikeforce Campign

Dover – There have been a total of 198 DUI arrests made since June 29th as part of the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign.  There have been over 3,800 DUI arrests made statewide since January.   Last weekend Checkpoint Strikeforce conducted 3 DUI checkpoints; one in Newport on Rt. 4, one in Fenwick Island on Rt. 54, and one in Rehoboth Beach on Rehoboth Ave. Officers arrested 10 individuals for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs, issued 2 citations for underage drinking, apprehended 3 wanted individuals, made 4 drug arrests, recovered 1 stolen vehicle, seized 1 weapon, issued 1 cell phone citation, issued 18 seat belt citations, issued 1 child restraint citation, and issued 38 citations for various other traffic violations.

Three sobriety checkpoints are scheduled to occur the weekend of October 20th.  They are scheduled as follows:

Friday October 19th–   Wilmington (NcCo DUI Task Force)- checkpoint

Seaford (multi-jurisdictional effort) – checkpoint

Saturday October 20th-   Woodside (DSP)- checkpoint

Those convicted of a first time DUI offense in Delaware can expect to lose their driver’s license for up to three months, attend an 8-week DUI treatment class and pay nearly 4-thousand dollars in court, treatment, DMV, and lawyer’s fees.

Checkpoint Strikeforce is a regional sobriety checkpoint campaign aimed at arresting DUI offenders, and using high visibility enforcement to deter those who would otherwise choose to drink and drive.  The campaign, a six month long effort running through New Year’s Eve, involves setting up weekly DUI checkpoints statewide.

For more information on Checkpoint Strikeforce visit www.ohs.delaware.gov and follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.  You can also see the real consequences of a DUI in Delaware at www.DUIRealTime.com.