3D Month Program OKLAHOMA

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS   PROGRAM AREA(S)
  High Media Visibility
Outstanding Collaborative Effort		   Alcohol and Other Drugs
Public Information and Education
 
TYPE OF JURISDICTION
  State
 
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
 

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Each year, nearly two hundred Oklahomans are killed or injured due to alcohol-related crashes. To address this problem, the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO), along with several partners, utilized National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month activities to promote a strong anti-drinking and driving message to citizens of Oklahoma. Although anti-impaired driving campaigns take place throughout the year, enhanced efforts during National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month boost the enthusiasm of participating organizations and increase public recognition of the problem.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the 3D Month Program was to reduce the incidence of Drunk and Drugged Driving crashes in Oklahoma. Specific objectives included:

Conducting a well publicized kick-off event for Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

Entering into a public-private partnership using targeted billboards to deliver an anti-drinking and driving message to the motoring public

Involving Oklahoma's youth in the issue of drinking and driving

Encouraging interaction between law enforcement agencies in addressing

drunk driving

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

To kickoff the 3D Month Program, the Oklahoma Restaurant Association (ORA) and the American Automobile Association (AAA) cosponsored an annual media luncheon in conjunction with several traffic safety advocacy organizations. Participants discussed drunk and drugged driving issues and ways to promote more responsible driving

3D Month Program (cont'd)

behavior. OHSO joined with the ORA, AAA, and a local outdoor advertising agency to develop a billboard project in the Oklahoma City area. The billboards read "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" and displayed the Safe and Sober logo as well as the logos of the joint sponsors.

Also as part of the project, OHSO assisted the Oklahoma Community Awareness Project (OCAP) with their "Lights on for Life Tree" event. In recognition of National Lights on for Life Day, which honors those killed or injured in alcohol-related crashes and reminds people not to drink and drive, motorists were asked to drive with their headlights on. On the same day, a tree lighting ceremony took place at the State Capitol building. The tree was decorated with pledge cards signed by students at participating schools. The students pledged to remind parents and friends not to drink and drive, and each participating school submitted a press release to the media.

The OHSO, following the lead of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, joined numerous law enforcement and traffic safety organizations for the "Oklahoma City-Tulsa Challenge." This event features a challenge between Oklahoma's two largest communities for the fewest number of alcohol-related fatalities over three weekends during a designated month. A traveling trophy was presented to the winning city but can be challenged for at anytime, for any issue, by the community not holding the trophy. Press releases announced the initial challenge, updates and the final winner.

RESULTS

The 3D Month kickoff event generated excellent media coverage and included remarks from officials of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and a local radio personality. Forty billboards were placed in the Oklahoma City area, reaching an estimated three-fourths of Oklahoma city motorists at least 15 times. The media provided extensive coverage of the tree lighting ceremony, and over 7,000 students from 29 schools participated. Most important, the project led to the forging of new partnerships and communications between various organizations concerned with traffic safety issues.