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| "Transportation Safety Month" focuses on awareness, action |
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May 1, 2008
For more information, contact Shelley Snow (503) 986-3438 or Sally Ridenour (503) 986-3359
Governor Ted Kulongoski has once again proclaimed May as “Transportation Safety Awareness” month in Oregon, and whether you are walking, bicycling, riding or driving, you’ll most likely see some reminder to be safe. It might be orange cones indicating a work zone; it might be a new sign about Oregon’s Move Over law; or it might be someone on the radio saying, ‘Slow down. Better roads ahead.’ Whatever the message, the goal is the same: improve safety for Oregonians and visitors to our state.
“It takes a team approach to improve safety in our transportation system,” Kulongoski said. “The Oregon Department of Transportation and its partners, along with thousands of volunteers around the state, are helping people understand how important it is to do the right thing, whether it’s putting your child in a booster seat or taking the car keys from a friend who has had too much to drink.”
The Governor’s proclamation offers support for safety programs that are helping reduce property damage, injuries and fatalities. In 2008, Oregon is experiencing vehicle fatalities at the slowest rate in 12 years. Because everyone agrees the best rate would be no rate at all, safety advocates continue to raise awareness and call for action in a variety of areas, such as using safety belts and child restraints, controlling speed, driving courteously, avoiding impaired driving, and slowing down in work zones.
A “silent memorial” for work zone victims will take place at the Capitol in Salem on Monday, May 5 from 10 a.m. – noon. ODOT workers will hand out educational information as they stand with 192 orange cones on the Capitol steps – one for each person who has been killed in a work zone since ODOT began keeping records in 1985. In downtown Portland, banners will also be visible in the Pioneer Courthouse Square reminding passers by of the need to slow down in work zones.
Other activities during the month include increased safety belt enforcement from May 19 – June 1; child safety seat clinics (see www.actsoregon.org/calendar.html for schedule); local safety fairs; and a coordinated motorcycle safety awareness campaign.
In addition, public service announcements will remind motorists that Oregon is still in the midst of the busiest highway construction season since the interstates were built 50 years ago. Projects in the Oregon Transportation Investment Act alone are creating more than 40 work zones on Interstate 84; on Interstate 5 between Washington and California, there will be 83 bridges with active construction zones. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and be patient.
“Individuals can take some simple actions to improve their own safety,” Troy E. Costales, ODOT Transportation Safety Division administrator said. “We encourage people to pay attention to the driving task, follow speed limits, watch out for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycles, wear safety belts and use the proper child safety seats, and make sure children wear helmets when they ride bikes, scooters and skateboards.”
Other areas of focus include underage drinking, where a new law allows judges to suspend licenses of minors in possession, even if they don’t have a license yet or aren’t driving when they are cited; and truck safety, with a yearlong effort reduce truck crashes coordinated by ODOT’s Motor Carrier Transportation Division.
Just in time for Oregon’s driving, riding, walking and cycling — and highway construction — season, ODOT and its partners around the state are reminding everyone to be aware of what’s going on around them and take action to stay safe.
###ODOT###
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