Announcements

Safe Communities Offers New “Workplace Driver Safety Toolkit” to Help Employers Keep Employees Safe On the Road.

Safe Communities developed the new Worksite Driver Safety toolkit to provide employers with an easy how-to guide on how to keep their employees safe on the road. Whenever an employee is involved in a traffic crash, on or off the job, the employer pays. Medical expenses, loss in productivity, increased insurance premiums and other costs add up quickly. Employers can use the workplace driver safety toolkit to help educate and encourage employees to buckle up and drive safely. This toolkit provides employers with step-by-step instructions to develop and implement policies and procedures that encourage and enforce safety belt use and safe driving for employees throughout all levels of the company. The toolkit also provides resources and tools to measure and monitor the company’s safety belt use rate.  Find additional information and download a copy of the toolkit here…

CDC Launches New “Parents Are the Key” Teen Drive Safety Campaign In Central Ohio…

The campaign encourages parents of teen drivers to take an active role in helping their teens form safe driving behaviors, learn graduated driver licensing laws, and set and enforce rules of the road. (See current projects page for campaign details). In partnership with the CDC “Parents Are the Key” campaign, Safe Communities is working to reach parents of teen drivers with campaign information. To receive FREE campaign materials (posters, flyers, fact sheets, & Parent-teen driver contracts) to distribute to parents in your network, click here.

Franklin County DUI Task Force Holds Awards…

The Franklin County DUI Task Force honored officers and community members on October 21, 2009 for their outstanding service and innovative efforts to combat the problem of impaired driving here in Franklin County. Among honorees were Safe Communities staff and coalition members Dara Bakes (Riverside Methodist Hospital), Scott Neff (Fado Irish Pub), Pat Byrne (Byrnes Irish Pub) and Kiros Hailu (A-One Taxi & Shuttle) who received recognition for the Central Ohio Safe Ride taxi voucher program.  Congratulations to all of the honorees!

Franklin County Safe Communities Program Funded for Another Year…

Columbus Public Health receives grant award from NHTSA through the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Traffic Safety Office to fund the Franklin County Safe Communities program for the 2009-2010 grant cycle. The Safe Communities staff and coalition will continue work to reduce traffic related injury and death in our community by addressing the leading factors that contribute to local fatal traffic crashes: safety belt use, impaired driving, distracted driving, teen drivers, pedestrian/bike safety and motorcycle safety. Visit the current projects page for details.

In the Loop: Roundabout Safety:

MORPC produced an educational video and brochure to teach drivers and pedestrians how to safely maneuver through a round about.  The video is available in full length (8mins) or a shorter version (2mins) through MORPC’s website and Youtube.

Ohio BMV Next of Kin Registration Available Online

Ohioans can now provide next of kin information for up to two contacts online or through any BMV deputy registrar. Ohio is one of the first states to make a next of kin registration process available. Any holder of a valid Ohio driver license, commercial driver license, temporary permit or state of Ohio identification card has the option to provide the name and information of a contact person they wish to be notified in the event the individual is involved in a crash or emergency and is otherwise unable to communicate with the contact person.

For those over the age of 18, the contact person can be a nearby relative, friend or co-worker. Those under the age of 18 are required to provide a parent or guardian for the primary contact. This secure database will only be accessible to BMV employees and law enforcement officials.

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles Registrar, Mike Rankin, is encouraging all Ohioans to take advantage of this beneficial opportunity, to save time when trying to identify family and friends of a crash victim.

Click HERE to enter the Next of Kin emergency contact information online application.

Click HERE to download the Next of Kin Emergency Contact Enrollment form.

Click HERE to read the Next of Kin Frequently Asked Questions.

About Franklin County Safe Communities

Mission
Franklin County Safe Communities strives to reduce the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities through research and interventions that convene resources, educate the community and change the built environment.

Funding for Safe Communities
Franklin County Safe Communities is a program of Columbus Public Health. Safe Communities receives funding from the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Contact Safe Communities

Program Staff:

Karisa Harvey, MPH
Health Education Program Planner
614-645-6836
KAHarvey@columbus.gov

Linda Tvorik, MPH
Injury Prevention Coordinator
614-645-6138
LLTvorik@columbus.gov

Location:

Columbus Public Health
240 Parsons Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43215