Dover – Twenty-two (22) people were arrested New Year’s Eve weekend for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs according to preliminary reports from state and local law enforcement agencies and the Office of Highway Safety, down from thirty-nine (39) last New Year’s Eve weekend.

In addition to the 22 DUI arrests, officers issued 1 citation for an underage drinking violation, apprehended 9 wanted individuals, made 7 drug arrests, made 8 felony arrests, and issued 8 seat belt citations, 2 child restraint citations, 3 cell phone citations and 244 citations for various other traffic violations.

New Year’s Eve also signaled the end of the 2012 Checkpoint Strikeforce and Safe Family Holiday campaigns.  With the 22 DUI arrests from New Year’s Eve weekend, that brings the total number of people arrested for DUI as part of the two campaigns to 402.  The year also ended with an overall 4,922 DUI arrests statewide, up from 2011 which ended with 4,230 DUI arrests statewide.  However this is a significant decrease from 2006-2009 when Delaware was experiencing total year ending DUI arrests over 6,000 per year.

Alcohol related fatalities made up 46% of the total motor vehicle crash fatalities for 2012, a decrease from 47% in 2011, but up from 2010 when only 40% were alcohol related.

During the Safe Family Holiday campaign, OHS tracked alcohol-related deaths and injuries that occurred between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.  Partners that displayed the DUI Victim Trees placed colored bulbs on the trees to represent each victim of an impaired driving crash.  Five people were killed in alcohol related crashes during the 2012 holiday season and 57 others were injured compared to the 2011 holiday season when 2 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes and 27 others were injured.  The tree can be viewed online at www. DUIRealTime.com/Safe-Holidays.

Delaware Highway Safety officials are reporting that preliminary end of year total traffic fatalities have increased by 12% from 2011.  While these are preliminary figures, there were 110 fatal motor vehicle crashes resulting in 116 fatalities in 2012.  In comparison, 103 people were killed in traffic collisions the year before.  Within the past twelve years, the highest number of traffic fatalities that occurred in Delaware was in 2003 with 148 total traffic fatalities followed by 2006 with 147.   The lowest years were 2010 and 2011 with 103 traffic fatalities for each year.

“The increase in highway fatalities over the last year is very concerning.  Our priority is continuing to educate our citizens about the many dangers they face on our highways in an effort to reduce fatal crashes. However, given the 37% increase in pedestrian crashes we will place an added focus on pedestrian safety. It is important that drivers and pedestrians do their part in reducing these fatal crashes. Together we can make a difference,” said Lewis D. Schiliro, Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security.

The major increase in the traffic fatalities were in pedestrian and bicycle crashes.  There were a total of 30 pedestrian fatalities in 2012 compared to 19 in 2011 and 4 bicyclist killed in 2012 compared to 0 in 2011.

“The Office of Highway Safety remains committed to implementing sound initiatives designed to encourage safer driving on Delaware roads,” said Jana Simpler, Director of The Office of Highway Safety.  “We will continue to work with our safety partners to develop campaigns to protect all motorists on our roads, and especially our most vulnerable users, pedestrians and bicyclists.”

Seat belt use has remained consistent across Delaware.  Delaware’s seat belt use rate remains at 90% for 2012. The national seat belt use rate is 86%.  Seat belt use rate is determined by highway safety officials who conduct a series of observational seat belt surveys at various locations of motorists traveling on roads throughout the state and recording whether drivers and passengers are wearing seat belts.  Motorists on all types of roadways from interstates to two-lane roads are observed.

Motorcycle crashes still remain a concern but dipped slightly in 2012 with 16 fatal crashes that resulted in 17 lives lost compared to 2011 with 17 fatal crashes and 18 lives lost.  One positive note is that helmet seems to be increasing with riders.  Sixty five (65%) of the riders killed in 2012 were wearing helmets compared to 44% in 2011.  “We are grateful to see the increase in helmet use within the motorcycle community,” said Alison Kirk, Community Relations Officer for OHS.  “Motorcycle riders are also vulnerable users on our roadways and it is encouraging to know that they are being proactive with their safety and wearing helmets.”

Delaware has seen additional improvements with total aggressive driving related fatal crashes decreasing on the roadways in 2012.  Of the 110 total fatal vehicle crashes in 2012, 32% were aggressive driving related, compared to 39% of all fatal crashes in 2011.  The top two predominate contributing aggressive driving behaviors that continue to cause crashes are speeding and failure to yield the right of way.  Combined, they contributed to 24 of the 36 aggressive driving related fatal crashes.

As 2013 begins, OHS will conduct its first DUI enforcement mobilization of the new year, centered around the NFL playoffs.  Beginning in January, twenty-two state and local law enforcement agencies will be conducting DUI saturation patrols on Saturdays and Sundays during the NFL playoffs culminating in Super Bowl Sunday enforcement activities. NFL enforcement is followed by night time seat belt enforcement, motorcycle enforcement, and St. Patrick’s DUI enforcement in March.

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/Safe-Holidays or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.

Enforcement focus is on DUI, Aggressive Driving, and Seat Belts.

Dover – Once again thousands of Delawareans will be hitting the road to visit family and friends and even do some after Thanksgiving shopping.  The Office of Highway Safety wants to remind motorists as they travel this holiday season to buckle up, practice patience behind the wheel, and if partaking in some holiday ‘spirits’ use a designated driver because Delaware law enforcement will be on high alert to make sure you arrive safely to your destination.

Tuesday November 20th will begin the Delaware Office of Highway Safety’s 14^th annual Safe Family Holiday Campaign.  Safe Family Holiday enforcement activities over the next six weeks will include 22 law enforcement agencies statewide conducting overtime patrols focusing on aggressive & impaired driving, and seat belt use.

Overtime aggressive driving enforcement will run November 20th through December 1^st and seat belt enforcement begins December 2nd and runs through December 15th.  The DUI saturation patrols will begin November 21st and will run through the entire holiday season and will supplement already scheduled Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI checkpoints.

There are three DUI checkpoints scheduled for the Thanksgiving holiday as follows:

Wednesday Nov. 21^st Wilmington (New Castle County DUI Task Force)- Checkpoint

Friday Nov. 23rd     Rehoboth Beach (DSP)- Checkpoint

Saturday Nov. 24^th Newark (DSP)- Checkpoint

Since January 1^st of this year, 100 people have lost their lives on Delaware roadways in 95 fatal traffic crashes, compared to 92 people killed in 87 fatal traffic crashes this time last year.  Aggressive driving behaviors, including speeding, running stop signs, and not granting right of way, have contributed to 34% of the fatal traffic crashes so far this year. To date alcohol consumption has been involved in 38% of the traffic deaths, and 33% of vehicle occupant fatalities were individuals not wearing their seat belts.

Over the last decade, several public awareness activities have become Safe Family Holiday traditions including the OHS “Mocktail” party and the DUI Tree project.  “Mocktails” are non-alcoholic cocktail parties, where safety information, responsible party hosting tips, and samples of “smart” party foods will be provided for employees.  OHS first Mocktail event this holiday season was held at State Farm Insurance in Lewes and more will be held with Seiberlich Trane, AI Dupont Hospital, Christiana Hospital, Beebe Medical Center, and Dover Downs.

The DUI Tree memorializes alcohol-related deaths and injuries during the campaign period by placing colored light bulbs on the tree to represent each victim.  There are four DUI Trees and this year they will have a permanent home with some of the highway safety corporate partners.  The trees will be set up the week of Thanksgiving at Kent General Hospital in Dover, Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, and A.I. DuPont Hospital in Wilmington.  New this year OHS has created a virtual DUI Tree for the public at www.DUIRealTime.com/Safe-Holidays. Last year, 2 people were killed and 27 were injured in alcohol-related crashes in Delaware during the holiday season.

The Safe Family Holiday Campaign, which runs from Thanksgiving Eve to New Year’s Day, in conjunction with the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign, is OHS’ major traffic safety initiative for the holiday season.  It includes a combination of high visibility enforcement, public awareness activities, and media messaging aimed at stopping impaired and other dangerous drivers.

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

Every year OHS supports the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety’s yearly traffic safety campaign, Drive Safely to Work Week. This year, join us in getting Back to Basics. Simply put, it means focusing on driving the car instead of multi-tasking.  Remember when you were a young driver, and it took all of your senses to drive:  both hands on the wheel, both eyes on the road, mind completely on the task of driving? NETS would like us to remember experience does not necessarily make a better driver.

What you need to know

Many employees commute in the first state.  The average commute time for Delawareans is 24.3 minutes, which is nearly 50 minutes on the road each work day.  Here are some interesting facts that you should know:

• 900,000 people live in the state of Delaware; of those, 653,141 are licensed drivers.
• On average, 80% of workers who commute drive alone.
• In 2011, there were 5,204 personal injury crashes and 97 fatal crashes.
• In the same year, 1 out of every 25 licensed drivers was involved in a traffic crash.

What you can do

Since the average person spends a significant amount of time driving to and from work, NETS would like to remind each of us to remember the keys of safe driving:

• Always buckle up. It only takes a few seconds to do the one thing that will keep you safest in the event of a crash.
• Drive with a clear head. Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as impaired driving.
• Avoid distractions. Distractions come in many forms, eliminate as many of them as possible.
• Know the basics of parking and backing. Many crashes can be avoided by simply by being aware of blind spots.
• Review the fundamentals. Go back to the basics of safe driving, including:  mirror placement, scanning the environment around your vehicle, and signaling your intentions.

For more information on DSWW and to get a free information kit, go to www.trafficsafety.org.

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.

National Child Passenger Safety Week September 16^th – 22^nd

Dover – The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) will conduct a “National Seat Check Saturday” event on Sept. 22 at the Community Bank Delaware in Lewes.  Certified child passenger safety technicians will be on hand from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to check car seats for proper installation and advise parents and caregivers how to choose the right car seats and install them properly in their vehicles.  The event is taking place as part of Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 16-22), and is free to the public.

This special week is dedicated to promoting the correct and consistent use of child safety seats.  Children using incorrectly installed car seats face dramatically increased rates of death and injury in the event of a crash.

“You can never predict or control what other drivers might do or how the weather might change the safety of a roadway,” said Jana Simpler, Director for OHS.  “As a mother, I know the best way to protect our children from injury or death in a crash is to put them in the right car seats for their age and size and use those seats correctly on every trip, every time.

OHS child passenger Fitting Stations will also be open during the week and taking appointments for car seat checks.  Call for times and dates.

Wilmington DMV         Dover DMV                        DSP Troop 7-Lewes

2230 Hessler Blvd       303 Transportation Cir.    18006 Coastal Hwy

302.434.3234                  302.744.2749                    302.853.1014

Parents are urge to follow NHTSA’s car seat recommendations that recommend parents and caregivers keep children in their restraint types for as long as possible according to manufacturer instructions before moving them to the next type. For maximum safety, a parent or caregiver should have the car seat installation inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to ensure their children are in the right seats for their age and size.  Children 12 and under should always ride in the back seat.

Birth – 12 months

For the best possible protection, your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. There are different types of rear-facing car seats: infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

1 – 3 years

Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. This may result in many children riding rear-facing to age 2 or older. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

4 – 7 years

Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

8 – 12 years

Keep your child in a booster seat until the child is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.

Remember:

• Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size, choose a seat that fits in your vehicle, and use it on every trip, every time.
• Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions; read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH system; and check height and weight limits.
• To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.
• Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.

Delaware law requires each child to be properly restrained in a motor vehicle and children under the age of 8 or 65 lbs in weight (whichever comes first) to be properly secured in a child safety seat.  Additionally, in vehicles with airbags, children under the age of 12 must be seated in the back seat of the vehicle, and it is the driver’s responsibility to make sure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up and properly secured.  The fine plus fees for violating the law is $83.50.

To learn more about the 4 steps for child safety and to find the times and dates of car seat check locations visit OHS website at http://www.ohs.delaware.gov/information/cps.shtml and www.safercar.gov/therightseat.  Also follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Like Us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE for regular campaign updates.

Event hosted by OHS & Grotto Pizza Milford

Milford – Delmarva Bike Week is being held September 13^th to 16^th with lots of activities from Seaford, DE to Ocean City, MD for riders of all kinds.  During this time motorist can expect to see more motorcyclists on the roads and the Delaware Office of Highway (OHS) wants to remind all how to share the road safely by hosting a Motorcycle Awareness event at Grotto Pizza in Milford on Route 1 on Saturday September 15^th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

This free event is open to all drivers and riders and will feature many activities to take advantage of including;

• A Confidence Course set up by the Dover Air Force Base Green Knights and DMV for motorcyclists to test their riding skills.
• Seat belt musical chairs. To secure your seat you have to buckle up!
• Tipsy tricycle. Put on the fatal vision goggles and see if you can maneuver the tricycle around the cones without knocking any down.  For adults 21 years and older.
• Share The Road display. This display shows motorists how to properly give motorcyclist room on the road.
• Seat Belt Convincer. Delaware State Police will demonstrate why buckling up can save your life in a roll over crash.
• Milford PD and Delaware City PD will have their police motorcycles on display.
• Plus a live remote by Cool 101.3 and information and give-a-ways by State Farm Insurance & Bayhealth Medical Center.

OHS Motorcycle Safety campaign titled Respect Your Ride is aimed at motorcyclists and directs riders to www.MotorcyclesafetyDE.org, where they can find information about the proper tools and training to make them the safest rider they can be.

Public awareness efforts are also aimed at reaching the drivers of passenger vehicles.  Along with the Motorcycle Awareness event, radio advertisements are also being aired during Bike Week to remind motorists to pause and look twice to share the road with motorcyclists, which can easily be missed in a vehicle’s blind spot.

Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than passenger vehicle drivers in the event of a crash.  Research shows that approximately 80 percent of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle rider, while only 20 percent of passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger in their vehicle. Currently there have been fourteen (14) motorcyclists killed on Delaware roadways out of 72 traffic deaths this year, which is almost 20% of the traffic fatals to date.  At this time last year Delaware had lost fifteen (15) motorcyclists on the roadways, which was also almost 20% of the traffic deaths at that time.

For more information on Motorcycle Safety visit OHS at www.ohs.delaware.gov, and www.MotorcyclesafetyDE.org, follow OHS regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE and visit the Delaware DMV Motorcycle section at http://www.dmv.de.gov/services/driver_services/drivers_license/dr_lic_motorcycle.shtml.