PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
All
occupant protection programs have common elements that aim to increase
the use of seat belts and child safety seats, and reduce motor vehicle
crash fatalities and injuries. The most successful programs, however,
usually combine the efforts of a variety of individuals committed to
highway safety. To improve statewide efforts focusing on occupant protection
issues in Oregon, the Oregon Department of Transportation created an
advisory committee to identify effective safety programs and goals.
Committee members include representatives from the law enforcement community,
state health department, child passenger safety resource center, Oregon
SAFEKIDS coalition, medical professionals, federal and state transportation
safety officials and local safety advocates.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In an effort
to effectively improve Oregon's occupant protection program, the Oregon
Department of Transportation appointed an Occupant Protection Advisory
Committee in 1999. Program objectives are to:
- Allow committee
members to become acquainted, and increase their awareness of each
others role in occupant protection, to provide an organizational context
for each member in the statewide program
- Obtain
insights from committee members on their perceptions of important
issues and program needs
- Solicit
input from the committee for inclusion in the annual occupant protection
program planning process, prior to review by the Oregon Transportation
Safety Advisory Committee
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The
working group meets once each year, for two to three hours. Advanced
planning by the
program manager is required to ensure that the meeting runs smoothly,
and participants make efficient use of their time. A mutually convenient
meeting date is determined, a meeting room is secured and an agenda
is prepared. Three weeks prior to the meeting, the agenda and program
materials are distributed to committee members. Program materials include
occupant protection information from the Annual Evaluation Report, funding
charts, public information and education materials, child passenger
safety training updates, data on seat belt use, injury and fatality
statistics and the most recent observational survey data for seat belt
use.
Meeting activities
include a review of performance plan goals, objectives, strategies and
program outcomes. After reviewing current programs, modifications to
existing proposals are discussed and new programs are addressed. This
format permits individuals to share ideas, provide input and impact
programs for the upcoming year.
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