Fatal Crashes Spike in Delaware

 

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 distractionsUsing 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 AttentiveNever 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).

###

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.


Office of Highway Safety Reactivates Grassroots Initiative to Promote Pedestrian Safety Month in October

Cooperative statewide effort to reduce pedestrian

deaths and encourage safe walking habits

WILMINGTON, Del. (October 14, 2019) – In honor of Pedestrian Safety Month to meaningfully reduce pedestrian deaths across the state, Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is bringing back its grassroots pedestrian safety initiative statewide. From Monday, October 7 through Sunday, October 20, pedestrian street teams will be deployed on DART buses throughout the state with routes that travel corridors with higher occurrences of pedestrian crashes and fatalities. These street teams will educate Delawareans on safe walking habits and hand out reflectors for use.

“Data continues to show that October is the deadliest month related to crashes occurring in Delaware, with the highest occurrences of pedestrian fatalities and injuries. In addition, pedestrian crashes peak around evening rush hour from 5 to 8 p.m. This is precisely why we have decided to bring back our grassroots initiative to stress the importance of safe walking habits especially during this time frame,” said Kimberly Chesser, Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “We would like to thank DART for partnering with us on such an important initiative, helping to make sure that our riders and pedestrians Walk Smart.”

Common factors in pedestrian crashes involve individuals being under the influence, distracted walking, wearing dark-colored clothing, and crossing outside of crosswalks on busy roads like Kirkwood Highway (Rt 2), DuPont Highway (US 13), and Pulaski Highway (US 40).

“OHS will continue to do its part to promote that pedestrians Walk Smart, and hope each person helps us spread our message to ensure that pedestrians arrive safely,” said Richard Klepner, Deputy Director and Pedestrian Safety Coordinator, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

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

###

DE OHS logo

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.


Delaware Office of Highway Safety Highlights Car Seat Safety During Child Passenger Safety Week

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 15, 2019) – Child Passenger Safety Week is a vital awareness campaign that runs nationwide to promote kids being secured in the right car seat for their age, height, and weight. This year’s event from September 15 – 21, is a collaboration between the Office of Highway Safety, local law enforcement agencies, Division of Motor Vehicles, and Safe Kids. Free child seat safety check events, resources, and training are being offered throughout the state to communities to educate the public on the importance of correctly choosing, installing and using car seats, booster seats, and seat belts with child passengers.  Nationally in 2017, a child under the age of 13 was involved in a passenger vehicle crash every 32 seconds and on average, nearly two children under 13 were killed every day while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans that same year. Our staff is available to provide free education to parents and caregivers on how to use the correct car seats, booster seats, and seat belts for their children’s ages and sizes.

“Lives can be saved and injuries prevented by ensuring children are riding in the right car seat and the car seat is properly secured in the vehicle,” Kimberly Chesser, Director, Office of Highway Safety.

CPS Week Twitter Chat

This is the second year that the Office of Highway Safety will host its annual CPS Week Twitter Chat. Join the conversation with certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians and instructors on Thursday, September 19 at 3 P.M. online at @HighwaySafetyDE. Tweet questions, answers, and comments directly with OHS and use the hashtag #CPSWeek2019. Test your knowledge, share your stories, and learn something new.

“The Office of Highway Safety offers free car seat checks year-round at our fitting stations in all three counties.  We are committed to making sure that every caregiver leaves empowered with the knowledge and confidence to install their child’s car seat correctly,” Sarah Cattie, Child Passenger Safety Program Manager, Office of Highway Safety.

Annual Seat Check Saturday Event

OHS is hosting its annual Seat Check Saturday event on September 21 at the Milford Walmart from 10 AM to 12 PM in the parking lot. All parents and caregivers are invited to attend the free event and meet with certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians to ask questions and receive hands-on instruction. A multi-lingual car seat check event will be held at the Georgetown Department of Motor Vehicles, 23737 Dupont Blvd. on September 26 from 5 – 8 P.M. Interpreters who speak Spanish, and Creole will be available for this event to assist the certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians.

“CPS Week is a great opportunity to remind caregivers to always make sure their children are secured safely in the appropriate car seat.  4 of our 5 car seats in Delaware are installed incorrectly,” Aubrey Klick, Fitting Station Coordinator, Office of Highway Safety.

Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification

Interested in becoming a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician? SafeKids Delaware is sponsoring a Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification course being held in Seaford, DE. The course dates are Wednesday – October 2, 9, 16, 23, 2019, at the Seaford Police Department, 300 Virginia Ave., Seaford, DE. The course is one day a week for 4 weeks and the registration deadline is September 18. To register for the course, go to https://cert.safekids.org/.

Tips for Car Seat Installation

  • Read the car seat’s instruction manual and the portion of your vehicle’s owner manual on car seat installation.
  • The safest place to install a child safety seat is in the center rear position. This may not always be possible if installing the car seat using LATCH attachments.
  • Never attempt to secure a child safety seat with more than one seatbelt.
  • 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, go to
    https://ohs.delaware.gov/carseat.shtml.

Delaware Fitting Stations

The Delaware Office of Highway Safety offers free child safety seat inspections at our local Fitting Stations (by appointment only):

  • Dover DMV & Sussex County

(302) 744-2749

  • Wilmington DMV

(302) 434-3234

You can follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety by clicking on:

Delaware Office of Highway Safety Web Site

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

###


Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Campaign Launches Before July 4th Holiday

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, De. (July 1, 2019) – The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is partnering with the Delaware State Police and local law enforcement statewide for the national summer holiday campaign for Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over from July 4 – July 7, 2019, to put an end to drunk driving. In support of law enforcement’s dedication to protecting the lives of residents in their communities, you’ll see increased enforcement on the roads with zero tolerance for those who drive impaired.

“We want to be very clear about the consequences of driving while intoxicated,” said Christopher Klein, Acting Director Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “Intoxicated driving is illegal and potentially deadly, and a risk we don’t want to see people take. Make no mistake: If you are caught driving while intoxicated, you will be arrested.”

During the 2014 to 2018 Fourth of July holiday period in Delaware, there were 53 DUI-related crashes. Five people were killed in those crashes which involved at l

east one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. That’s five families who will forever remember Independence Day with a heavy heart and nightmarish memories.

Celebrate with a Plan

This Fourth of July, drivers are urged to designate a sober driver before heading out for the evening. If you plan on drinking, plan on not driving.

Remember these tips for a safe night on the roads:

  • Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.
  • Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play for Android devices and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices.
    • SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
  • If you’re at the Delaware beaches over the holiday weekend, use SoberLift to get a safe ride home. In partnership with Lyft®, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety is offering the sober ride program which will begin on Wednesday, July 3, at 4 p.m. and run through Sunday, July 7, at 2 a.m., and will provide free SoberLift vouchers* (maximum value of $15) for individuals who want a safe ride during that time period.
    • Text “SoberLift” to 99000 to redeem the discount code which will be available in the beach towns of Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, South Bethany Beach, and Fenwick Island.
    • *The number of daily codes, available between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m., will be limited.
  • If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
  • Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

You can follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety by clicking on:

Delaware Office of Highway Safety Web Site

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

###

 

 

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.


CheckPoint StrikeForce Swearing-In Ceremony

Statewide Enforcement Checkpoints Aim to Reduce DUI-Related Crashes & Fatalities 

(Dover, DE) – On Thursday, June 13th, Attorney General Kathy Jennings swore in 53 officers representing jurisdictions from New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties to serve as part of the Checkpoint StrikeForce (CPSF) and other checkpoints that will take place throughout the state this year. Impaired driving is an on-going threat that claims dozens of lives on Delaware’s roadways every year. In 2019 alone, there have been more than half a dozen fatalities attributed to impaired-driving and more than 1,860 DUI arrests.

“Driving drunk or buzzed is reckless, needless, and illegal, but more than 4,000 DUI arrests last year alone show that we must stay vigilant about protecting our roads from those who get behind the wheel of a car when they shouldn’t,” says Kathy Jennings, Attorney General for the State of Delaware. “I’m grateful to the officers within CheckPoint StrikeForce for keeping all of us safe and for sending a strong message that Delaware is serious about stopping drunk driving and preventing crashes.”

The 2019 CPSF initiative consists of five DUI checkpoints across the State occurring on multiple occasions throughout the year, in addition to checkpoints conducted by local municipalities and saturation patrols.

“I was thoroughly impressed by the multi-agency response and the 50+ officers that were sworn in today to join the CheckPoint StrikeForce campaign,” says Christopher Klein, Acting Director of the Office of Highway Safety (OHS). “This Highway Safety initiative is one of the tools utilized to bring meaningful reductions to impairment-related crashes, and is only successful as a result of all of the dedicated law enforcement officers that have taken the oath to enforce Delaware’s DUI laws.”

The Office of Highway Safety is providing overtime funds to law enforcement this summer and throughout the year to enforce the State’s DUI laws. In addition, OHS is running statewide marketing and education campaigns to encourage drivers to Arrive Alive. OHS’s newest impairment campaign, Don’t Blow It, focuses on the consequences of drivers being alcohol-impaired when their blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) are .08 g/dl or higher. A DUI can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. It can also lead to an arrest, or worse, to death.

Cynthia Cavett, Marketing Specialist II and Public Information Officer for OHS, recommends the following tips for Delaware drivers to Arrive Alive:

  • It is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve only had one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan a sober ride home. Take Uber, Lyft, or a cab. For an up-to-date list of rideshare options near you, go to http://www.arrivealivede.com/Drive-Sober/Safe-Rides#wilmington.
  • Use public transportation to get home safely. For current bus schedules and locations, visit https://dartfirststate.com/.
  • Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app at www.nhtsa.gov/link/saferride/. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
  • Make the commitment to only driving when you’re 100-percent sober.

“There is absolutely no reason, whatsoever, why anyone should drive home impaired,” says Cavett. “With the abundance of ride-share and public transportation availability across the state, there are more options now than ever before for ensuring a safe and sober ride home.”

Frequently asked questions on the consequences of life after a DUI can be found at http://www.arrivealivede.com/Drive-Sober/FAQs.  For more information on Delaware DUI fatalities and arrests, visit http://www.arrivealivede.com/DriveSober.

You can follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety by clicking on:
Delaware Office of Highway Safety Web Site
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

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.

###