Week 2 Results for Checkpoint Strikeforce

Dover – Thirteen (13) people were arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs during the second weekend of the 2012 Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI prevention campaign.  This brings the total DUI arrests made in the last 2 weeks as part of the campaign to 21.  Statewide, there have been over 2,400 DUI arrests made in Delaware this year.

In addition to the checkpoint DUI arrests, officers issued 3 citations for underage drinking, 3 cell phone citations, apprehended 3 wanted individuals, made 5 drug arrests, issued 39 seat belt citations, and 82 citations for various other traffic violations.

Three checkpoints are scheduled to take place the weekend of July 13th.   They are scheduled for:

Friday July 13th –    Wilmington- (NCCo DUI Task Force)- checkpoint

Saturday July 14th –   Rehoboth- (DSP)- checkpoint

Dover- (multi-jurisdictional effort)- checkpoint

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, www.DUIRealTime.com and follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.


Results For First Weekend of Enforcement for 2012 Checkpoint Strikeforce Campaign

More DUI checkpoints set for upcoming weekend.

Dover – Eight (8) people were arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs during the inaugural weekend of the 2012 Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI prevention campaign.  Officers statewide conducted three sobriety checkpoints in Newport, Georgetown, and Magnolia.

In addition to the checkpoint DUI arrests, officers issued 1 citation for underage drinking, 1 cell phone citation, apprehended 5 wanted individuals, made 1 drug arrest, issued 16 seat belt citations, and 61 citations for various other traffic violations.

Four checkpoints are scheduled to take place the weekend of July 6th.   They are scheduled for:

Friday July 6th –    Newark- (NCCo DUI Task Force)- checkpoint

Milford (multi-jurisdictional effort)- checkpoint

Saturday July 7th –   Smyrna (multi-jurisdictional effort)- checkpoint

Rehoboth (multi-jurisdictional effort)- checkpoint

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, www.DUIRealTime.com and follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.


2012 Click It Or Ticket Enforcement Results

Dover – Over the past two weeks, officers from approximately 17 State, County, and municipal law enforcement agencies issued a total of 1,041 citations to unbuckled motorists during the 11th annual Click It or Ticket campaign.  The enforcement portion of the campaign ran from May 14th through 28th and involved traffic safety checkpoints and saturation patrols both day and night.

For the fifth year in a row officers participating in Click It or Ticket issued fewer seat belt citations than the year before.  In 2008, officers issued 2,347 citations – that is 335 more issued than in 2009, 708 more issued than in 2010, and 1,152 more issued than in 2011, and 1,306 more than this year.  Office of Highway Safety (OHS) officials believe that this tread means more motorists are buckling up but OHS knows that there is still more work to be done to ensure everyone is buckling up every trip, every time.

On Sunday June 10th there was a crash in Dover that left two people seriously injured. They were not buckled up. The incident involved two vehicles. One vehicle, which overturned, had 12 vehicle occupants and only the driver was wearing a seat belt. A four year old female passenger, who was not properly restrained, was ejected from the vehicle. She was flown from the scene by Delaware State Police helicopter and transported to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she was admitted in critical condition.  Another passenger, one year old male, who was also not properly restrained, was flown from the scene by Delaware State Police helicopter. He was transported to the A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children where he was admitted in serious condition. This crash is a good example of how proper use of seat belts may have prevented these serious injuries.

Delaware’s current statewide seat belt usage rate is 90%.  OHS officials have begun their evaluation to determine if there has been any increase in the state’s belt usage rate in the last year by conducting a series of observational seat belt surveys at locations throughout Delaware.  OHS officials will be surveying motorists 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 will be observed.  Survey results should be available by early July.

Even if seat belt use does increase, OHS officials remained concerned about the lack of seat belt use in fatal crashes.  Since January 1st, 50% of all drivers and passengers killed in vehicle crashes in the First State were not wearing seat belts.  Many of them died in crashes where lives could have been saved if they had just taken a moment to buckle up.

During the Click It or Ticket enforcement period, officers statewide also arrested 13 people for DUI, issued 165 cell phone citations, and cited another 219 drivers for speeding.  Additionally, officers issued 57 citations to drivers for child restraint violations, apprehended 31 wanted persons, made 12 drug arrests, 4 felony arrest, and issued 833 citations for a variety of other traffic violations.

Click It or Ticket is a nationwide seat belt enforcement and awareness campaign aimed at saving lives by increasing the number of people who consistently buckle up.

Delaware’s campaign included campaign awareness messages featuring real Delaware Paramedics telling stories of crashes that they  have encountered on Delaware roadways  where occupants were not buckled up.  The messages were aired statewide on radio, internet, TV, print and on billboards.  OHS continued their partnerships with Racing Limos of Dover to wrap the hood of a limo with the Click It or Ticket message. OHS also sent seat belt kits to high schools that gave fun ideas and activities for the schools to help teach students about the importance of bucking up such as setting up a faux checkpoint as students leave the school parking lot, and seat belt e-card students could create on Facebook and share with parents and friends.  OHS also promoted seat belt safety at Dover International Speedway June 1-3rd with NASCAR driver J.J. Yeley playing seat belt musical chairs with a few lucky fans.  All participants of seat belt musical chairs received an OHS Buckle Up t-shirt.

The next wave of seat belt enforcement will run June 17th to 30th followed by more waves in July and August. Agencies participating in the next wave of enforcement include DSP, DSP Truck Unit, Dover PD, Georgetown PD, Milford PD, Newark PD, New Castle County PD, and Wilmington PD.

Get the facts:

  • Did you know that 50% of all occupant fatalities in Delaware last year were individuals not wearing a seat belt and that fewer than 1/3 of Delaware’s unrestrained fatals occur during the daytime.
  • Wearing a seat belt decreases your risk of being seriously injured or killed in a crash by approximately 50%.
  • Hospital data shows that unbelted occupants in crashes are 3 times more likely to require a hospital stay. On average, hospital costs for an unbelted crash victim are 55% higher than those for a belted crash victim.
  • Strong seat belt laws protect families.  When parents are buckled up, 90% of the time their children are too.

For more information on Click It or Ticket enforcement results and a look at updated campaign materials, please visit www.ohs.delaware.gov, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE or follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe .


U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $900,000 for Delaware Anti-Distraction Pilot Project

To coinciding with grants, U.S. DOT also releases comprehensive blueprint for ending distracted driving nationwide

Dover-  U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today that the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) will receive $900,000 in federal support to expand the Department’s “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other.” pilot enforcement campaign to reduce distracted driving.

“We thank Secretary LaHood for personally coming to Delaware to announce this grant.  We will use this money to implement a campaign to encourage motorists to put their cell phones down while driving,” said Delaware Governor Jack Markell.  “By raising awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, we help prevent needless crashes and keep Delaware’s roads safer.  Safer roads mean people get to jobs, schools, and businesses without delay and without injury.”

DOT is providing Delaware with a total of about $900,000 in federal support for a pilot program that will examine whether increased police enforcement coupled with paid media and news media coverage can significantly reduce distracted driving over a widespread area.

OHS is planning to use $300,000 for three 2 week waves of enforcement for the “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” campaign with the first wave to run September 18 to October 1, 2012 followed by April 9-22, 2013 and June 4-17, 2013 and will include statewide enforcement in all three counties and will include every police department in the state.  Another $400,000 will be allocated towards paid media that will accompany the enforcement efforts and $200,000 toward evaluation of the demonstration project.

“This dedicated enforcement effort coupled with public education and program evaluation illustrates the seriousness in which we view distracted driving. For those who still insist on texting and talking on their cell phone this grant will go a long way to allow them to also talk to one of Delaware’s finest,” said Lewis D. Schiliro, Secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

Delaware is one of only 2 states that have been selected to receive federal grants for “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” pilot project.  This multi-market effort will mirror the approach used in smaller-scale demonstration projects completed in 2011 in Hartford, CT, and Syracuse, NY.  The 2011 pilot projects found dramatic declines in distracted driving in the two communities tested—with texting dropping 72 percent in Hartford and 32 percent in Syracuse.

“We congratulate Delaware’s Office of Highway Safety and Secretary LaHood for bringing this important effort to our state,” says Jim Lardear, Director of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.  “AAA knows that it is simply not enough to just pass a law; good laws must go hand in hand with visible, committed enforcement and broad public awareness campaigns.  We continue to urge drivers to avoid all forms of distraction behind the wheel.”

Delaware law enforcement has issued over 10,000 cell phone citations since the cell phone law went into effect in Delaware on January 2, 2011.  In 2010, cell phone distraction was a contributing factor in 199 crashes and in 139 crashes in 2011. Through May of this year, cell phone distractions caused 47 crashes. Texting caused 26 crashes in 2010, 14 crashes in 2011 and 7 crashes through May of this year.

Delaware cell phone law bans texting while driving as well as bans the use of hand-held cell phones.  Drivers are required to utilize hands-free technology in order to use a cell phone while driving.   It also bans the use of pagers, blackberry’s, PDA’s, laptops, games, or the use of any other electronic device by someone while driving. If you have to make a call, pull over to a safe place to use your cell phone or use a hands free device like a blue tooth.

If a police officer observes you using a handheld device while driving they can pull you over and give you a $106 fine for your first offense.  If you get caught again penalties increase and can go up to $300.  Violations do not incur points on your driver’s license.

Some exceptions to the law include the activation or deactivation of hands free equipment because not all cell phones are voice activated. Thus, drivers may pick up the phone to dial, then put it down and use hands free equipment to communicate.  Another exception allows a person to use a hand held cell phone to call authorities to report a fire, road hazard, traffic crash, reckless driver or any other unsafe road conditions.  Also exempt are those business or government employees who use a 2-way radio that is mounted or attached to their vehicle to communicate with dispatch or other employees as a part of their official work duties.

For more information about the Office of Highway Safety and the ““Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” pilot project please visit us online at www.ohs.delaware.gov, follow us on Twitter @DEHighwaySafe, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE or subscribe to OHS YouTube channel DelawareOHS.


Third Wave of Respect Your Ride Motorcycle Enforcement to Start June 1st

Dover-  The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) and law enforcement agencies statewide will begin the third wave of enforcement on June 1st for the Respect Your Ride motorcycle safety campaign.  Throughout the next wave of enforcement Bethany Beach Police, Dewey Beach Police, Delaware State Police, Dover Police, Newark Police, New Castle County Police, Rehoboth Beach Police will conduct patrols on high crash roadways and will cite violators of the state’s motorcycle safety laws.  They will be paying particular attention to speeding and impaired motorcyclists.

This wave comes after two successive motorcycle crash fatalities on May 18th & 19th.  The first crash involved a motorcyclist driving on a suspended licens and fictitious Delaware registration.  He passed another vehicle on a double yellow line while in a curve, and struck a pedestrian crossing the street.  The impact killed the pedestrian.  The second motorcyclist failed to negotiate a curve and crashed in the roadway and was killed.  Alcohol is considered a factor in the crash.

As the weather warms up, and more motorcyclists are on the roads, all drivers should be vigilant about sharing the road with motorcyclists.  They are easy to miss in a vehicle’s blind spot.  Always look twice before changing lanes or making turns at intersections.

Motorcycle riders can also go to www.MotorcyclesafetyDE.org, to find information about the proper tools and training to make them the safest rider they can be.  Any person who operates a motorcycle, or other 2-wheeled motor driven vehicle, must have a driver’s license with a motorcycle endorsement before taking to the road.  To obtain the endorsement a person must pass a written exam and road skills tests or complete an approved motorcycle rider education program.

OHS is offering the following safety tips for both motorists and motorcycle operators:

Motorcyclists

  • Follow posted speed limits and keep all wheels on the ground at all times
  • Do not try to share a lane with a vehicle, stay in your own
  • Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic;
  • Never drink and ride
  • Watch out for loose sand, gravel, debris, and uneven and textured surfaces
  • Do not pass on the shoulder
  • Suit up for Safety – wear not only a helmet, but also appropriate eye gear, long sleeves, over the ankle boots and reflective material when riding at night
  • Keep your skills up to date by signing up for a DMV Motorcycle Training Course, either beginner or advanced

Motorists:

  • Always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections;
  • Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width;
  • Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic;
  • Allow more following distance, three or four sec­onds, when following a motorcycle, so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emer­gency; never tailgate.

For more information about the Respect Your Ride campaign visit http://ohs.delaware.gov/services/motorcycle.shtml or visit us on Facebook at ArriveAliveDE.  For more information about motorcycle endorsement and motorcycle rider education program visit http://www.dmv.de.gov/services/driver_services/drivers_license/dr_lic_motorcycle.shtml.