These showcases provide an opportunity for State Highway Safety Offices to share their program successes and innovative practices or learn from what's happening in other states.
In 2018, 215 passenger vehicle deaths in Colorado involved unbuckled drivers and passengers. An estimated 70 of those lives could have been saved had the individual been wearing a seat belt. Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to prevent severe injury or death in a motor vehicle crash, yet Colorado, with a rate of only 88 percent, ranks behind the national average of 90 percent.
Through a grant from Ford Driving Skills for Life and GHSA, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission partnered with the Cascade Pacific Action Alliance's (CPAA's) Youth Marijuana Prevention and Education Program (YMPEP) for a campaign warning teens about the dangers of marijuana-impaired driving.
The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC) was one of five State Highway Safety Offices to receive a grant from GHSA and ride hailing company Lyft to prevent impaired driving during the 2018 holiday season. With its grant, LHSC complemented its annual "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" enforcement campaign with social media messaging to spotlight discounted Lyft rides.
In 2018, Montana’s State Highway Traffic Safety Office (SHTSS) was awarded grants by both Ford Driving Skills for Life and The National Road Safety Foundation, Inc.'s partnerships with GHSA. With these funds, SHTSS launched a statewide contest between Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapters to create peer-to-peer teen safe driving campaigns, with an emphasis on drowsy driving.
As the recipient of a grant from GHSA and Lyft, the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) bolstered its winter anti-impaired driving campaign with additional media efforts and discounted rides for impaired travelers.
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) was one of five states to receive a grant from Lyft and GHSA in 2018. With this funding, OTS augmented its "Go Safely, California" campaign during the holiday season to provide discounted Lyft rides to impaired travelers.
As the recipient of a grant from GHSA and Lyft, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) teamed up with the Illinois State Police (ISP) for "Ride Smart," a social media campaign encouraging ride-hailing as an alternative to impaired road use.
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) was the recipient of a GHSA and Lyft grant to deter impaired driving. With this funding, WTSC partnered with Seattle Hempfest Director and cannabis activist Vivian McPeak for "Plan Before You Party," a holiday season campaign discouraging poly-drug (under the influence of a combinations of alcohol and drugs) impaired driving.
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has partnered with the City of Grand Rapids for “Driving Change,” an innovative campaign promoting bicyclist safety. Having recently made significant infrastructural improvements to enhance bicyclist safety, Grand Rapids was chosen as the pilot city for this campaign, which seeks to educate bicyclists and motorists about the infrastructure changes and encourage healthy relationships and respect between road users.
