Noteworthy Practices
On this page you will find real world examples of noteworthy or low cost safety practices by your colleagues across the U.S.
You can find additional rural noteworthy practices on the FHWA Office of Safety’s Roadway Safety Noteworthy Practice Database.
Do you know of a noteworthy or low cost safety practice that we should highlight?
Please contact us at info@ndev.ruralsafetycenter.org.
Rewarding Seat belt Use among Young Drivers
“I Got Caught” Seatbelt Safety Campaign
May 6, 2015 Covington Police Department, Covington, La
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death among young drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 80% of teens and young adults wear their seat belts , which is a lower rate than other age groups. Increasing seat belt use can be an effective way to enhance safety and reduce fatalities on roadways.
In Louisiana, the Covington Police Department is working together on a pro-active and positive approach to encourage teen drivers and their passengers to wear seat belts. For the second year in a row, the police department is conducting the “I Got Caught” program at local high schools.
For this program, police officers conduct seatbelt inspections at the end of the school day. If students are wearing their seat belts, they receive a t-shirt that reads “I Got Caught” on the front, and “Wearing My Seat Belt” on the back. Students not wearing their seat belts receive educational materials about the safety benefits of buckling up. The program is a community partnership, with local businesses donating the t-shirts.
Chief of Police Tim Lentz is pleased that the program is continuing into its second year: “Last year’s campaign was a tremendous success. Thanks to the continued support of our local businesses, we have another opportunity to educate our children on the safety seatbelts provide, in a positive manner. With summer almost here, teens will spend more time on the road than ever and we want to make their journeys as safe as possible.”
For more information about the program, contact Chief Tim Lentz at tlentz@covla.com.
Download pdf of I Got Caught Seatbelt Campaign 2015
Safety Media Campaign Targets Native American Traffic Safety Issues
In Washington State, the traffic fatality rate for Native Americans is more than three times higher than for everyone else, and the state’s traffic safety office has made its tribal communities a priority. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s (WTSC) Tribal Traffic Safety Advisory Board developed and disseminated educational materials on critical traffic safety issues affecting tribal populations.
As a first step, the Advisory Board identified five factors that contribute disproportionately to traffic-related fatalities of Native Americans:
• Lower rates of seat belt use
• Pedestrian safety
• Impaired driving
• Speeding
• Lower usage of child car seats
The Board then developed culturally relevant educational materials on each of these topics, including posters, rackcards, banners, and videos. Many of the materials feature positive messages such as “Lock in the Future” (to encourage seat belt use) and “Protecting our Future Generations” (to encourage car seat use).
Tribal communities from across the state can order or download most of the materials from the WTSC website. Advisory Board members have helped broaden access to the videos by reposting them on their respective tribes’ websites and personal Facebook pages.
The WTSC also encourages tribal governments to apply for funding through its various grant programs which fund projects such as traffic safety enforcement, school zone safety, high school driver programs, and a special grant program for tribal police departments.
“We’re excited about the positive feedback we’ve received on this campaign,” said MJ Haught, WTSC Program Manager and Tribal Liaison. “We are very fortunate to have wonderful tribal partners working with us to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries.”
For more information, go to: http://wtsc.wa.gov/programs-priorities/tribes/
Take This Phone and Glove It
According to the National Safety Council, one out of every 4 car crashes can now be linked to cell phone use [1].
“Take This Phone and Glove It” is a non-profit organization that is doing more than just teaching people about the dangers of talking and texting while driving. Campaign leaders are encouraging drivers to commit to putting their phones in the glove compartment every time they get behind the wheel.
The campaign was started by one family in New York state; family members would hide each other’s phones in the car to prevent the driver from being tempted to take his or her eyes off the road. The positive message of the “Glove it” approach spread, and the campaign now organizes events in partnership with schools, driver education programs, and community groups throughout the state.
Campaign leaders lead activities to educate drivers about risky behaviors and their consequences. They encourage participants to sign a “Glove It” pledge, and distribute car magnets and decals so drivers can show their support to others. The campaign also works with local businesses to post signs and promote the message throughout the community.
Many of the events are targeted at young drivers. “Drivers under the age of 20 have the highest rate of distracted driving, even though surveys show that more than 1 in 3 have been involved in a near-miss crash because of someone else’s distraction,” said Eryn and Ethan Lipetz, Campaign Organizers. “We want them to put away their own phones, but also to feel confident enough to tell their friends and family members to do the same.”
The “Glove It” campaign is gaining support throughout New York and New Jersey. In spring 2015, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey posted the message on bridges and tunnels and in transit stations for Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Another highlight for organizers was seeing the message posted on a huge electronic billboard in Times Square.
For more information about the program, go to http://www.takethisphoneandgloveit.org/ and http://pix11.com/2016/02/08/the-moms-the-dangers-of-distracted-driving-and-the-mission-to-glove-it/
[1] http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/distracted-driving.aspx