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Traffic Safety Digest - Spring 2001 


Traffic Safety Digest - Spring 2001 

OREGON
Occupant Protection Advisory Committee

 

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS PROGRAM AREA(S)
  Outstanding collaborative effort
Easy to replicate
  Occupant Protection
       
TYPE OF JURISDICTION    
  State    
       
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
  General Population   3,316,154


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.


RESULTS
Input from the Occupant Protection Advisory Committee has resulted in several modifications to the objectives and strategies for Oregon's 2000 and 2001 traffic safety performance plan. The instant feedback provided by committee members, and interest in implementing specific activities has greatly facilitated the process of goal development. In fact, Oregon's occupant protection program is currently recognized as one of the strongest in the nation.

 

FUNDING
  None
CONTACT  
 

Carla Levinski, Program Manager
Oregon Department of Transportation
Transportation Safety Division
235 Union Street, N.E.
Salem, OR 97301-4179
(503) 986-4199
carla.l.levinski@odot.or.us



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