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KRADD
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY PROGRAM

The ADD Transportation Safety Coordinator works in partnership with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Transportation Safety Program in regional efforts to reduce traffic collisions, fatalities, injuries, and economic losses relating to traffic collisions through the four “E’s” of Transportation Safety: Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency Response. The Department of Transportation Safety has identified 10 Emphasis Areas to achieve this goal:
(For tips and additional information, please click the Emphasis Area below.)

Department of Transportation Safety Safety Connection Newsletter

August 2007
July 2007

KRADD Transportation Safety Committee

The KRADD Transportation Safety Committee was formed to strategically address issues relating to the driver, the vehicle, the highway and emergency response to incidents. The Committee consists of a partnership of state, local and federal governments, along with a multitude of other public and private sector entities, including schools, law enforcement, civic organizations, and businesses. The purpose is to provide a multi-jurisdictional approach to reducing fatalities and injuries and include engineering, enforcement, education and emergency response involvement.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS/ACTIVITIES

The Transportation Safety Coordinator plans and participates in area Education Programs through the coordinated efforts of the ADD, KYTC Department of Transportation Safety, Drive Smart, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement, Highway District Office Staff, and our local, regional, and state Law Enforcement.

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

OTHER PROGRAMS

OTHER ACTIVITIES

SAFETY BELT USAGE SURVEYS

Safety Belt Usage Surveys were completed at 29 sites throughout the KRADD area during the months of September and October 2007. The data was submitted to the Department of Transportation Safety at the end of October. Results have not been released; however, preliminary statistics show a slight increase in seat belt usage in our region.

Safety Belt Usage surveys are also conducted at local High Schools throughout the KRADD region. Again, data shows an increase in the usage of seat belts.

UPCOMING
SAFETY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

MATURE DRIVERS
55+ Driver Safety Program
Presented By:
KRADD and
The Department of
Transportation Safety

For additional information contact: Angelia Smith at angelia@kradd.org or (606) 436-3158

Child Passenger Safety Certification Course:
A class is scheduled for February 4-8, 2008 at the Jackson Fire Department. The standardized course combines classroom instruction and hands-on work with car seats and vehicles. A community safety seat checkup event will take place on the final day of the course. Class will begin at 8:00 am and end at 5:00 pm each day. The cost of the course is $60.

How to register for the course:

RECENT
SAFETY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Target Counties: Perry County and Letcher County have been identified as 2 of the 25 Target Counties across the state as high-priority for highway safety countermeasures. Some of the recent activities in the two Target Counties include:

Black Gold Festival & Mountain Heritage Festival
Captain James East with the Hazard City Police Department is demonstrating to Black Gold Festival on-lookers how difficult it is to walk the sobriety line while wearing Fatal Vision Goggles which distorts ones vision as if impaired by alcohol at a BAC rate of .17 to .20. An Information Booth and Fatal Vision Goggles Demonstrations were set up during the Black Gold Festival and the Mountain Heritage Festival to promote Highway Safety on our roadways.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Celebration
Kids learned bicycle riding safety rules while riding through a bicycle obstacle course at the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Celebration on September 21, 2007. The grandparents were given information on Occupant Protection and Child Passenger Safety. One hundred and eleven grandchildren and grandparents were in attendance.

Hazard Fire Department Safety Day
A family gathered around the Rollover Simulator for a demonstration and safety talk on safety belt usage in a rollover crash situation at the Hazard Fire Department Safety Day on October 7, 2007 in the Perry County Park.

Also to promote Highway Safety, Safety Day attendees could put on the Fatal Vision Goggles and walk the sobriety line as did WYMT-TV reporter in the picture to the right. The Fatal Vision Goggles demonstrates how a BAC level of .17 to .20 distorts one vision and impairing their ability to drive.

Buckhorn High School Safety Event
Students at Buckhorn High School realize the dangers of driving while impaired during the Fatal Vision Goggles-3D Simulator demonstrations at a Safety Event on October 30, 2007. Students wore the Fatal Vision Goggles while attempting to drive the 3D Simulator through an obstacle course. The Fatal Vision Goggles distorts ones vision as if impaired by alcohol at a BAC rate of .17 to .20.

LKLP Community Head Start
A presentation was given to a group of parents about Child Passenger Safety (proper usage, proper installation, how to select the right seat, etc.), Winter Driving Tips, and Distracted Driving. The 46 preschool children were given goody-bags filled with the Crash Dummies coloring books, crayons, buckle-up bracelets, and information on occupant protection, bicycle safety, and ATV safety.

US 23 Safety Corridor
An Enforcement Blitz took place on the US 23 Safety Corridor November 9-15, 2007. The US 23 Safety Corridor is one of 13 corridors identified for special emphasis in collision reduction through a data-driven process by the Governor’s Executive Committee on Highway Safety. Working with KYTC’s Department of Transportation Safety, KYTC District 12, Big Sandy ADD and KRADD, Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement and local law enforcement agencies along the US 23 Corridor aggressively patrolled the Corridor during the Blitz. The officers were looking for driver’s committing offenses such as speeding, reckless driving, improper passing and driving under the influence.

2007 Labor Day Border-to-Border Traffic Safety Checkpoint
Law Enforcement and safety partners from Kentucky and Virginia collaborated in an effort to reduce drunk driving in both states. The alliance held a traffic safety checkpoint on US 23 at the Kentucky-Virginia state line on August 30, 2007 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Law enforcement agencies that participated included: The Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement, Letcher County Sheriff’s Department, Jenkins Police Department, Fleming-Neon Police Department, Virginia State Police, Wise County Sheriff’s Department, among many other law enforcement agencies from both states. This was part of the 2007 Labor Day Enforcement Blitz campaign “Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest.” Thousands of law enforcement agencies and safety agencies across the nation participated in the blitz which kicked off on August 17, 2007 and ran through the Labor Day Holiday.

Senior Health Fair
The KRADD Senior Health Fair was held on August 29, 2007 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Hazard Community College. The Transportation Safety Program set up an information booth and distributed fact sheets and brochures on topics such as mature driving, safety belt usage, summer driving tips, impaired driving, etc. Several give-a-way items such as pens and key chains with the new “what’s holding you back Kentucky” logo were also distributed.

Red River Valley
On August 14, 2007 the Buckle-up Bear and the Crash Dummies visited Red River Valley Elementary and put on a skit about wearing seat belts. KRADD staff spent the day visiting each classroom doing a presentation on school bus safety. In the afternoon the children and staff gathered in the auditorium for the Buckle-up Bear and Crash Dummies skit.

Back to School Bash Events
KRADD Staff set up information booths and distributed transportation safety information along with give-a-way items at Back-to-School Bash Events at Beattyville Elementary in Lee County; Chavies Elementary, Dennis Wooton Elementary, Robinson Elementary, and New Hope Church in Perry County. Special emphasis was placed on School Bus Safety and Safety Belt Usage.

US 421 Enforcement Blitz
Working with KYTC’s Department of Transportation Safety and KRADD, Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement and local law enforcement agencies along the US 421 Corridor aggressively patrolled the Corridor during the week of July 8-14, 2007. The officers were looking for driver’s committing offenses such as speeding, reckless driving, improper passing and driving under the influence.

NEW HOPE CHURCH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (VBS) KICKOFF
Vince & Larry, “The Crash Dummies” and the Buckle-Up Bear made an appearance at the New Hope Church VBS Kickoff Event in Hazard, KY on Saturday, June 2, 2007. Also, the VBS attendees participated in a Bicycle Rodeo. Three bicycle obstacle courses were laid out for the participants to ride though. First the Transportation Safety Coordinator talks to the participants about bicycle safety and the rules of the road. Then the Coordinator takes the student bike rider through the obstacle course while pointing out how to apply the rules of the road and things to watch out for. Participants were given a packet containing bicycle safety information, The Crash Dummies Coloring/Activity Book, other commodities and give-a-ways, and other highway safety information.

AMERICAN WOODMARK SAFETY DAY
On May 10, 2007 the Transportation Safety Coordinator participated as a vendor at the American Woodmark Safety Day Event in Hazard, KY. Highway Safety commodities and brochures were distributed to American Woodmark staff.

KAG CONFERENCE
On April 30, 2007 the KAG (Kentucky Association on Gerontology) Conference was held at the Carriage House in Paintsville, KY. The Transportation Safety Coordinator participated as a vendor and distributed Highway Safety information to conference attendees.

Ghost Out
KRADD Staff assisted Highway District 12 Staff with a Ghost Out Event at Jenkins High School on April 13, 2007. A Ghost Out is a drug awareness program aimed at teenagers. A guest dressed as the “Grim Reaper” stalks the hallways of the school and selects 15 “victims.” These “victims” represent the average number of people killed in alcohol or drug related crashes during a school day and are declared dead. The climax is an assembly during the last hour of school at which guest speakers address the dangers of driving while impaired. A memorial service is held for the 15 “victims” selected by the Grim Reaper. Each “victim” has to write their own obituary which is read at the memorial service. This is a very emotional and powerful program with a strong impact on the students.

KY 15 Safety Corridor Enforcement Blitz
The KY 15 Corridor is one of 13 corridors identified for special emphasis in collision reduction through a data-driven process by the Governor’s Executive Committee on Highway Safety. Working with KYTC’s Department of Transportation Safety and KRADD, Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement and local law enforcement agencies along the KY 15 Corridor aggressively patrolled the Corridor during the week of March 4-10, 2007. The officers were looking for driver’s committing offenses such as speeding, reckless driving, improper passing and driving under the influence.

Child Passenger Safety Event, Beattyville, KY
On February 28, 2007 KRADD Staff assisted Drive Smart, Kentucky State Police and Highway District 10 Staff with a Child Passenger Safety Check-up Event at the Beattyville/Lee County Fire Department in Beattyville, KY. A total of 7 Safety Seats were checked with 100% misuse rate. Three of those safety seats were replaced due to either the safety seat had been recalled, the safety seat was not the proper size for the child passenger, or the safety seat was not in safe condition. The remaining four safety seats were properly installed and all participants were instructed on proper installation and use of child safety seats.

Child Passenger Safety Event, Hyden, KY
On February 27, 2007 KRADD Staff assisted Drive Smart and Highway District 11 Staff with a Child Passenger Safety Check-up Event at the Trans Star Ambulance Service in Hyden, KY. A total of 12 Safety Seats were checked with 100% misuse rate. Eight of those safety seats were replaced due to either the safety seat had been recalled, the safety seat was not the proper size for the child passenger, or the safety seat was not in safe condition. The remaining four safety seats were properly installed and all participants were instructed on proper installation and use of child safety seats.

High School Seat Belt Usage Surveys
KRADD Staff along with Drive Smart Staff conducted seat belt usage surveys at area high schools. Due to the low usage rate, 'Buckle-Up' seat belt signs were designed and placed at the entrance of the schools to encourage students to wear their seat belts. Students from each school participated in the placement of the signs. Photos