[DOVER, DE] May 19, 2021 — During this year’s national Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign, which will take place May 24 through June 6, 2021, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (DOHS) will be teaming up with law enforcement nationwide for a Border to Border (B2B) kickoff event taking place on Monday, May 24 from 3 pm-7 pm across all 3 Delaware counties. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is asking all states to participate in B2B, a one-day, 4-hour national seat belt awareness event on May 24, coordinated by participating state highway safety offices. The B2B initiative aims to increase law enforcement participation by coordinating highly visible seat belt enforcement for drivers throughout each state across the country.

Delaware Governor John Carney has supported DOHS’s ongoing occupant protection efforts by clicking into one of the recent safety awareness Seat Belt Selfie campaigns. Governor Carney demonstrated the proper way to buckle up in a motor vehicle (photo attached).

“Seat belts save lives, and this program serves to educate and encourage Delawareans to buckle up not only for themselves but also for their families,” said Governor Carney. “Studies have shown that children whose parents buckle up are much more likely to buckle up themselves. Make it a positive habit, and click that seat belt every time before you drive.”

Delaware’s Click It Or Ticket (CIOT) campaign will correspond with the annual national enforcement being implemented by state and local law enforcement agencies from May 24-June 6, 2021. In addition to the enforcement mobilization, DOHS will run simultaneous education campaign initiatives throughout the state via traditional media tactics such as billboards, statewide cable television, and broadcast terrestrial radio; digital media outlets including Spotify, Vevo, Facebook, Instagram, and connected television streaming apps; and will partner with local businesses to amplify the buckle up messaging such as tattoo parlors, hardware stores, outdoor boot camps, as well as extreme sports organizations, and venues.

Face the Facts

• The statewide seat belt use rate in 2019 was 92.5%, which is good — but we can do better. The other 7.5% still need to be reminded that seat belts save lives.
• 2020 saw a 53% increase from 2019 in unrestrained fatal and severe injury crashes in Delaware.
• Over the past 5 years (2016-2020), younger adults were the most likely to be involved in unrestrained crashes, with the highest number of unrestrained occupants involved being under 30 (53%), and in that group, occupants 20-24 being involved in the most crashes.

Bust the Myths

• Vehicle type: There seems to be a misconception among those who drive and ride in pickup trucks that their larger vehicles will protect them better than other vehicle types would in a crash. The numbers say otherwise: 58% of pickup truck occupants who were killed nationwide in 2019 were not buckled. That’s compared to 43% of passenger car occupants who were not wearing seat belts when they were killed. Regardless of vehicle type, seat belt use is the single most effective way to stay alive in a crash.
• Seating position: Too many people wrongly believe they are safe in the back seat unrestrained. Forty-five percent of all front-seat passenger vehicle occupants killed nationwide in crashes in 2019 were unrestrained, but 58% of those killed in back seats were unrestrained.
• Rural versus urban locations: People who live in rural areas might believe their crash exposure is lower, but in 2019, there were 11,971 passenger vehicle fatalities in rural locations nationwide, compared to 10,187 fatalities in urban locations. Out of those fatalities, 48% of those killed in the rural locations were not wearing their seat belts, compared to 45% in urban locations.

“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many drivers and their passengers are still not buckling up, especially at night when the risk of being in a crash is even greater. With more people expected to travel on Delaware roadways this summer than last year, we ask that you help us to spread this lifesaving message. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — must remember to buckle up,” said Kimberly Chesser, Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety. 

 

In addition to public education and outreach efforts, DOHS will be hosting a first-of-its-kind seat belt riff video-making contest on TikTok called “Click-Tok.” The “Click-Tok” contest, which runs from May 21 to midnight June 2, 2021, encourages Delawareans to create videos using seat belt sounds, music, video, and an underlying Buckle Up message. Contest participants will be encouraged to join in on this new and fun opportunity through recruitment via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. The “Click-Tok” contest is proudly sponsored in part by traffic safety partner, AAA Mid-Atlantic. Three (3) contest winners will receive a prize in the form of a gift card.

 

 

For more information on the campaign, statistics, and education, visit https://www.arrivealivede.com/buckle-up/. From here, users can discover the Arrive Alive DE Visualizer Unrestrained Crash Tool which helps drivers visualize the impact unrestrained crashes have had on the state of Delaware over the past 5 years and test their knowledge about what crashing at various speeds feels like at 20, 30, or even 40 miles per hour (mph).

 

 

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.

Delaware- In 2014 the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) initiated the “Drive to Save Lives” campaign to reduce deaths on U.S. highways. The campaign targeted distracted and impaired driving, speeding, the use of seatbelts and the unsafe driving behaviors of operators of large trucks and buses. A combination of education and awareness, partnering with other agencies, and high-visibility traffic enforcement were used to achieve the campaign goals. These successful efforts gave the IACP a desire to continue the campaign annually.

Delaware State Police have coordinated the “Drive to Save Lives” efforts at least once a year, specifically on Delaware’s portion of I-95 for the past several years. Working alongside DSP there are 14 other participating state police and highway patrol agencies that patrol portions of I-95. Over the past four years DSP has taken their campaign coordination efforts a step further. In 2017, DSP began requesting other Delaware law enforcement agencies having patrol-related duties to be included in the campaign. As a result, numerous agencies throughout the state have been participating in this campaign. This year is proving to become the greatest teamwork effort with at least 30 Delaware municipal agencies slated to participate in the April 9^th and 10^th campaign.

Delaware’s Office of Highway Safety has continued to be a supporter of the “Drive to Save Lives” campaign. All law enforcement agencies, along with the Office of Highway Safety, are looking forward to working together during April’s campaign. With the Office of Highway Safety’s assistance, Delaware’s participating law enforcement agencies are better able to supply personnel for these high-visibility patrols.

“The Delaware Office of Highway Safety is pleased to support the Delaware State Police and municipal agencies from across the state in the “Drive to Save Lives” initiative. This is an opportunity for Delaware to participate in a nationwide event, focusing on multiple highway safety priorities, using data-driven enforcement methods and education to decrease the high-risk behaviors of drivers. These partners are committed to decreasing fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways and it’s initiatives like this that can help us achieve that goal,” Sarah Cattie, Traffic Safety Program Manager, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

The Delaware State Police will be coordinating the I-95 effort, as well as the portion of the campaign that extends to other roadways throughout the state. DSP will be patrolling the state’s main corridors, while the municipal agencies will be patrolling their specific jurisdictions. The team of agencies will be highly motivated to perform traffic stops, educate operators, and issue citations. The ultimate goal is to provide education and enforcement that will lead to a decrease in the number of crashes throughout Delaware not only on April 9^th and 10^th, but into the future.

“The Delaware State Police are proud to partner with our allied agencies around the State in the 2021 Drive to Save Lives campaign.  While utilizing education and proactive enforcement strategies, Troopers will engage motorists each day with the intention to enhance driver safety and reduce fatal and serious injury collisions.   Along with our highway safety partners, we are dedicated to this nationwide effort and to our shared goals of keeping Delawareans and our visitors safe.”  Colonel Melissa Zebley, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police

 

 

 

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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.

Delaware Office of Highway Safety Launches Operation Crash Reduction and New Website Over Most Dangerous Holiday Period

DOVER, Del. (October 5, 2020) – The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (DOHS) is launching a combination of initiatives over this October holiday weekend, which is the most dangerous time of the year for fatal crashes in the state with increased vehicular travel. To help drivers and passengers remember the importance of buckling up, the DOHS is teaming with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to check for seat belt usage in an initiative called Operation Crash Reduction. Additionally, DOHS is relaunching its highway safety website, ArriveAliveDE.com, with more information and interactive tools to help inform Delawareans of road safety practices, including seat belt usage.

Operation Crash Reduction focuses on Delaware, the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. According to NHTSA, from 2014 to 2018, this region had its highest number of fatal crashes (882) between the dates of October 1 and 15, and October was the month when most fatal crashes occurred. This regional campaign runs from October 9 through October 12 and includes a social media campaign to further raise awareness.

“During Operation Crash Reduction and all year long, our mission is to reduce crashes on Delaware roadways and save lives,” explains Kimberly Chesser, Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “With more cars on the road during this holiday period, there is more speeding, distracted driving, and impaired driving behaviors, which lead to more crashes. We strive to provide our citizens with the information they need to stay safe, and that includes wearing your seat belt because buckling up provides the best defense against injury or death in a crash,” says Chesser. 

Through the relaunched website, ArriveAliveDE.com, DOHS reminds drivers of the importance of seat belt use and other safe driving practices. “ArriveAliveDE.com contains the most up-to-date information on road safety to help Delawareans adopt safe driving, walking, and riding behaviors,” says Cynthia Cavett, Marketing Specialist II & Public Information Officer, Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “The site allows visitors to navigate and learn by road safety topic or by user role, such as driver or pedestrian. It features numerous new interactive tools and quizzes, all designed to educate Delawareans on road safety. Visitors can also register for upcoming DUI checkpoint text alerts,” explains Cavett.

Delawareans will find a dynamic, centralized repository of road safety information at ArriveAliveDE.com detailing nine road safety topics determined to be the priority areas by the Office of Highway Safety’s rigorous analyses of crash data and trends. These include Seat Belt Safety, Distracted Driving, Drunk Driving, Drugged Driving, Speeding, Pedestrian Safety, Child Passenger Safety, Motorcycle Safety, and Teen Driver Safety.

“It’s very important to get out the Buckle Up message because seat belts save lives. We invite all Delawareans to visit ArriveAliveDE.com to learn more about seat belt safety and other road safety topics to help save lives and reduce crashes across our state,” says Sarah Cattie, Occupant Protection Program Manager, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

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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. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.

 

Media Contact:

Cynthia Cavett

Marketing Specialist II & Public Information Officer

Phone: (302) 943-7293

Email address: Cynthia.Cavett@Delaware.Gov

Delaware Office of Highway Safety Promotes National Child Passenger Safety Week from September 20 – 26, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:

Cynthia Cavett, Marketing Specialist & Public Information Officer

Delaware Office of Highway Safety

Cynthia.Cavett@delaware.gov

302-744-2743

DOVER, Del. (September 21, 2020) – Child Passenger Safety Week is a nationwide campaign that spreads critical awareness and promotes all children being properly restrained in the correct car seat for their age, height, and weight. This year’s CPS Week will be held from September 20-26. Car crashes are a leading cause of death nationwide in children ages 1-13, which is why caregivers must choose and use the correct car seats for their children every time. It is estimated that across the nation in 2017, approximately 325 children under the age of 5 were saved by being properly restrained in the correct car seat. To help ensure your child is in the correct seat, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety offers every Delaware resident access to learning opportunities, free resources, and more through their child passenger safety fitting stations and fitting station coordinators. Fitting station staff is available by virtual appointment to provide free education on how to properly use car seats, booster seats, and seat belts based on the child’s age and size. Nationally in 2017, nearly 2 children under the age of 13 died every day because of a car crash. Our mission is to reduce that number as much as possible by providing free child passenger safety education to parents and caregivers.

“The Delaware Office of Highway Safety is committed to keeping Delawareans safe while traveling on our roads. When you take the time to schedule an appointment with one of our child passenger safety technicians, you can ensure that you have the necessary education to protect your child by keeping them properly restrained in the event of a crash,” Kimberly Chesser, Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

Virtual Webinar Series

As the COVID-19 pandemic has taken over our attention and priorities, Child Passenger Safety Week looks a little bit different this year. Car crashes haven’t stopped just because there is a pandemic. Children always need to be properly restrained in the correct car seat for their age and size. The pandemic has changed our lives in many ways, in response, we have changed our CPS educational process. To protect our parents and caregivers during this time, Aubrey Klick, Fitting Station Coordinator for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, has created an educational webinar series that viewers can watch and study from the comfort and safety of their own homes. The series will be launched on the OHS website www.ArriveAliveDE.com, and the OHS social media platforms. The virtual webinar series will cover three topics including newborn safety, ages and stages, and common mistakes. The virtual webinar series is free, and we encourage anyone seeking proper car seat education to view, download, and share.

“My job is to help caregivers ensure that their car seats are properly installed in their vehicles and that their children are safely and properly restrained in their car seats. As an educator, my goal is for caregivers to feel comfortable using their child restraints and feel empowered in their child’s safety,” Aubrey Klick, Fitting Station Coordinator, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

Paid Media and Communications Campaign

The Office of Highway Safety is amplifying its education and outreach this week through the launch of a three-pronged approach to spreading awareness about child passenger safety via social media, paid media, and traditional media campaigns. Additionally, we would like to encourage parents and caregivers to visit @SafeKidsWorldwide on Facebook to participate in live online classes offered for basic awareness of child passenger safety. While there, check out Safe Kids Delaware for more information and social media on Child Passenger Safety in Delaware.

 

 

Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification

Interested in becoming a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician? You can! Certification courses are currently on hold in Delaware due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, you can stay up to date with the latest course information by visiting https://cert.safekids.org/.

Checklist of Tips for Proper Car Seat Installation and Use 

• Children should ride rear-facing and in the center of the backseat for as long as possible. This usually occurs until age 1, however, it can be longer depending on the child’s height and weight. 
• You should never attempt to secure a child with more than one seatbelt. 
• Be sure to read both the car seat’s instruction manual and the portion of your vehicle owner’s manual on car seat installation. Different seats need to be set up differently based on what vehicle the seat is going into.
• Harness straps should lie flat, not twisted, and be placed forward-facing through the slot that is at or above your child’s shoulders. If in a rear-facing seat, the harness strap should be at or below the shoulders. The harness is snug enough when extra material cannot be pinched at the shoulder. Make sure the chest clip is at armpit level.
• For more information about car seats visit: https://www.arrivealivede.com/secure-the-kids/

“Child Passenger Safety Week is a great reminder to reach out to one of our fitting stations and schedule a virtual appointment to have your child’s car seat checked. Remember, the right car seat is the one that meets your child’s age, height, weight, developmental levels, and you will use correctly 100% of the time.  Give us a call! We would love to assist you,” Shawn Rohe, Fitting Station Coordinator, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

Delaware Office of Highway Safety Fitting Stations

The Delaware Office of Highway Safety offers free car seat inspections at our local fitting stations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, appointments are currently being conducted virtually via phone and video. Residents in New Castle County may call Shawn Rohe at (302) 256-1123 for an appointment. Residents in Kent or Sussex County may contact Aubrey Klick at (302) 387-2324 for an appointment. For more information about child passenger safety in Delaware, visit https://ohs.delaware.gov/carseat2.shtml.

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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. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.

 

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Delaware– The Delaware State Police have seen a recent spike in fatal crashes across the entire state.  In conjunction with the Delaware Office of Highways Safety, we are working together to provide our citizens with a few traffic safety reminders.

The majority of fatal crashes are attributed to some form of distracted driving.  This involves the driver failing to provide the proper time and attention to the roadway and to the task of driving.  Other high-risk behaviors of motorists include impaired driving, speeding, unsafe driving behaviors including the use of electronic devices and the failure of motorists and passengers alike to wear seat belts.

Traffic Safety Tips:

Limit distractions: Using your cell phone, texting, and fiddling with the radio or GPS should all be done when you are at a complete stop or avoided altogether.  Give 100% of your attention to the road.

Walk Smart: Distracted walking, wearing dark clothing, and walking under the influence are common factors in pedestrian crashes in Delaware. Wear bright clothing, carry a flashlight, keep your head up and keep your eyes on the road and surrounding areas. Catch a cab or rideshare lift, or have a designated driver take you home. Walking under impairment is never worth the risk.

Slow Down:  Reducing speeds and/or maintaining safer speeds.  Avoid the fast lane if possible.  If you are in the center or far-right lanes, you are more able to maneuver away from a potentially dangerous situation than if you are in the fast lane.

Be Attentive: Never just assume that a driver is going to stop or turn. It’s better to assume they may not!  For example, when going through a red light, still look both ways to check if anyone is going to run the light.  Not only do drunk drivers often run red lights, but so do distracted drivers.

Driving Under the Influence: Whether it be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, impaired driving is a crime.  Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and give that person your keys. If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely.

Wear Your Seatbelt: One of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up. Understand the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt and learn what you can do to make sure you and your family are properly buckled up every time.

“The Office of Highway Safety is currently running our pedestrian, occupant protection, and distracted driving campaigns and enforcements in every county. We want the public to be aware of actions they can take to protect themselves on Delaware roadways. October is Pedestrian Safety Month. Please walk bright and walk smartly by wearing bright clothes, carrying a flashlight, and being aware when crossing Delaware’s busy roads,” Cynthia Cavett, Marketing Specialist II and Public Information Officer, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, please visit ohs.delaware.gov, or visit us on Facebook (@HighwaysafetyDE), Twitter (@HighwaysafetyDE) and Instagram (HighwaysafetyDE).

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Cynthia Cavett, Marketing Specialist II & Public Information Officer
Delaware Office of Highway Safety
Cynthia.Cavett@Delaware.Gov
302-744-2743

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. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.