PA District 12-0 Community Traffic Safety Project

https://monvalleyindependent.com/2023/12/monessen-center-for-active-adults-hosts-yellow-dot-clinic/?fbclid=IwAR0FWCGgucLjkGfRWMpG3XSzwkgIAX4ilGVbQRG-vNUFwiJzJG0MbQW-yWI

Monessen Center for Active Adults hosts Yellow Dot clinic - The Mon Valley Independent FacebookTweet PennDOT partnered with the Highway Safety Network and AAA East Central to host a Yellow Dot Clinic Wednesday at the Monessen Center for Active Adults. The Yellow Dot program is designed to assist citizens [...]

An Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) training was conducted at the Monongahela Fire Station today for area law enforcement officers. The training teaches officers to observe, identify, and articulate the signs of impairment related to drugs, alcohol or a combination of both, in order to reduce the number of impaired drivers and impaired driving related traffic crashes. Thank you to DRE Ron Wolfe and the PA DUI Association for bringing this training to Washington County.

Milder weather is expected in the next few days but be sure Old Man Winter will be arriving soon. Now will be a good time to prepare an emergency kit to keep in your car. Winter weather could leave you stranded, but a well-stocked emergency kit can help you get back on the road or at least make time waiting for assistance safer and more comfortable. You can build a kit yourself or there are many available in a compact kit with a handy carry case.

The Yellow Dot program assists citizens in the "golden hour" of emergency care following a traffic crash or other incident when they may not be able to communicate their needs themselves. Placing a Yellow Dot decal on your vehicle's rear window alerts first responders to check your glove compartment for vital information to ensure you receive the medical attention you need. A Yellow Dot Workshop will be conducted in Monessen on December 6th from 1:00 – 3:00. Staff will be available to assist with completing the information and taking a photo to place in the brochure.

Are you an older driver? If not, you probably know one — a parent, grandparent or neighbor down the street. Between 2012 and 2021, the U.S. population of people 65 and older increased by 22%, and in 2021 the number of people 65 and older killed in traffic crashes made up 17% of all traffic fatalities.

Bulky winter coats and car seats are a dangerous combination. You want to avoid having a lot of bulky clothing inside the harnessing system in the child’s car seat because in a crash all the bulk will squish down, and the harness straps will be loose. To check if the harness tight enough, do the pinch test - If you can pinch the webbing between your thumb and forefinger now, the coat is too bulky to be worn under the harness.

Speeding makes it harder to negotiate curves, makes it more difficult to react to hazards, makes it harder for other motorists and pedestrians to judge gaps in traffic, and increases your vehicle's stopping distance. Slow Down – Drive Smart – Buckle Up & Never Drive Impaired.

The Operation Safe Holiday Campaign runs from November 23rd through January 1st. The holidays should be a time to celebrate family & friends. Don't be the reason a family has an empty chair at the table. Drive responsibly!

It is predicted that 53.4 million will be traveling this Thanksgiving Holiday. If you are traveling by car, please remember that Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law requires drivers to slow down and move into a lane not next to an emergency response area when an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing and where road crews or emergency responders have lighted flares, posted signs, or try to warn travelers.

National Seat Belt Day is observed annually on November 14. More than 46,000 people are killed in car crashes in the U.S. every year, and an estimated 4.4 million people sustain injuries that require medical attention. Direct medical costs add up to more than $300 million. Using safety belts helps save lives and minimize the risk of serious injuries. It’s a simple act we can all practice, whether you’re a passenger or the driver. National Seat Belt Day was created to raise awareness and encourage people to wear seat belts.

Today, alcohol is widely available and aggressively promoted throughout society. And alcohol use continues to be regarded, by many people, as a normal part of growing up. Yet underage drinking is dangerous, not only for the drinker but also for society, as evident by the number of alcohol-involved motor vehicle crashes, homicides, suicides, and other injuries.

Operation Safe Holiday is a multi-faceted enforcement campaign to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries during the holiday season starting today and running through New Years Day. PA State Police and Municipal Police will be on the lookout for aggressive, unbelted, and impaired drivers in an effort to keep everyone safe on our roadways. Buckle Up, Slow Down and NEVER Drive Impaired.

Parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. These rules address the greatest dangers for teen drivers: alcohol, inconsistent or no seat belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, speeding, and number of passengers.

PA bicycle law requires motorists to provide a 4-foot buffer zone when passing cyclists on the road. It also prohibits motorists from making a right turn if it would interfere with a cyclist going straight. The driver must wait for the bicycle to pass before completing the turn.

77% of Pedestrian Fatalities happen in the dark - if you are driving Watch Out for Pedestrians. If you are walking at night, make yourself visible: wear bright colored clothes and carry a flashlight. Avoid dangerous behaviors: always walk on the sidewalk and only cross at crosswalks, stay sober and make eye contact with drivers – don’t assume the driver can see you.

Thank you for joining us!

Halloween is fast approaching, and children will be out and about gathering treats. Whatever form your celebration takes, make sure it includes safe walking practices:
Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street. Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.

Halloween is a holiday where adults can celebrate as much as kids. But remember, impairment begins with the first drink. Buzzed driving is drunk driving, and police will be on the lookout for impaired drivers.

Last night we joined Lauren Yohman- State Farm Agent at her store front for the Uniontown Parade! We handed out treats, coloring sheets and foam glow sticks to promote Traffic Safety. We would like to thank Lauren and her team for their hospitality! Such an amazing parade!

It was Older Driver Safety Week with the Highway Safety Network and AAA East Central. Safety programs were conducted at the Latrobe, Jeannette and Mt. Pleasant Centers for Active Adults this week. The older drivers were updated on winter driving safety, Yellow Dot and CarFit.

Today students attended the Southwestern PA Youth Leadership Conference! Over 300 students heard from 3 speakers during a day long conference. We would like to thank the FBI, Retired State Police Corporal James Gregg, and State Farm Agent Megan Chicone - State Farm Agent for covering all Teen Safey and Outreach topics!

Parents if your teen is planning on attending Halloween parties, please remind them that any amount of alcohol is risky for an underage child. Research shows that children who drink alcohol at a young age are likely to use other substances at higher rates when they become older.

Tailgating is an aggressive driving behavior that is responsible for thousands of crashes each year. If someone is following you too closely, move to another lane or turn off the road to allow the vehicle to pass. If you’re tailgating other drivers, remember that police statewide are ticketing drivers who tailgate and drive aggressively. Drive safely and avoid a ticket.

Today we attended a Trunk or Treat sponsored by Washington Wild Things and Washington County PA Sheriff Office ! Jaci and SPO Melissa handed out treats with Pedestrian Safety messages from our wonderful partner State Farm, and Halloween safety coloring sheets from PennDOT! What a great event!

Underage drinking is a serious problem that can have harmful effects on the health and well-being of young people. There are many reasons why some kids and teens drink alcohol, such as curiosity, peer pressure, rebellion, or coping with stress. Parents should talk to their children about alcohol early and often

CarFit
This Friday Oct 20th 11-2
Perryopolis Fire Hall

Operation Safe Stop is a proactive approach to educate the motoring public that passing a stopped school bus, when children are loading or unloading, is both dangerous and illegal. Law enforcement agencies, school transportation providers, pupil transportation associations, and PennDOT have combined their efforts to raise public awareness about the potential consequences of these traffic violations and reduce the occurrence of illegal school bus passes.

More than 25 million children ride the yellow bus every school day, and National School Bus Safety Week serves as a reminder for students, parents, teachers, and the community to keep school bus safety in the forefront.

This week - and every week, parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. These rules address the greatest dangers for teen drivers: alcohol, inconsistent or no seat belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, speeding, and number of passengers.

It’s Friday, the 13th. There are many theories about why Fridays which fall on the 13th day of the month are unlucky. Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue and there is no gate 13 at many airports, the numbers go from twelve to fourteen. The fear of 13 has also prompted most high-rise buildings not to have a 13th floor. Hotels do not have room number 13. Believe it or not, but today, don’t walk under a ladder, step on a crack or break a mirror and drive safely!

DYK that in Pennsylvania drivers and occupants in a vehicle who are under the age of 18 must wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt, and children under the age of eight must be securely fastened in a child restraint system. Failure to comply with the law’s seat belt provisions is a primary offense, meaning that a driver can be pulled over and cited solely for that violation.

Always wear your seat belt! It's a simple step that
could save your life in the event of a crash!

On Friday, our Youth Traffic Safety Council held their first meeting of the 23/24 school year at the IU in California! Melissa and Clint from PennDOT gave a great presentation of the how-tos of car maintenance! Students then went outside to put their new knowledge to the test!
Our safety partners Terri Rae from AAA, Kristen from PA TIPP, Trooper Allison from PA State Police, Dax Thomas State Farm Insurance Agent joined us to welcome the students!

From 2018 to 2022, there were 79,684 crashes involving at least one 16- to 19-year- old driver in Pennsylvania, resulting in 458 fatalities. 65% of those crashes involved a teen driver driving too fast for conditions.

Underage drinking increases during celebratory times, such as homecoming, holidays, prom and graduation, and the program encourages parents and the community to send a unified message that teen alcohol consumption is not acceptable. It is illegal, unsafe, and unhealthy for anyone under age 21 to drink alcohol. Parents – Talk They Will Listen.

In 2022, there were 3,688 crashes in which at least one driver was speeding, resulting in 169 fatalities
and 491 suspected serious injuries.

Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law requires drivers approaching an emergency response area to move over to a lane farther away. Drivers who are unable to safely merge into a lane farther away from the emergency response area are required to slow to no more than 20 mph below the posted speed limit. An emergency response area is where an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing, or where road crews or emergency responders have lighted flares, posted signs, or try to warn travelers. ’tDriveDistracted

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month! Walking is a great way to get the physical activity needed to obtain health benefits. Walking does not require any special skills, a gym membership or expensive equipment. A single moderate-to vigorous walk can improve sleep, memory and the ability to think and learn. It can also reduce anxiety symptoms.

Free CarFit Check Up Event at the Perryopolis Fire Hall on Friday, October 20th. Helping Older Drivers stay safe in their vehicles.

As a pedestrian, using available crosswalks and obeying traffic control devices helps keep you safe. Motorists should stay alert for pedestrians and yield when appropriate. Learn more about pedestrian laws and safety tips at www.PennDOT.pa.gov