• 08
  • December
    2011

The Dublin Division of Police hoped to reduce the number of traffic accidents this year. Their plan called for improved placement of law enforcement officers, as well as an educational campaign designed to teach people about the behaviors that cause serious car crashes. So far, the plan is working. The number of accidents reported has dropped 13 percent from 2010. Their efforts might serve as a model for other Ohio communities.

Dublin officials are working with the Ohio Department of Public Safety, which has agreed to reimburse some of the expense of the program. They are targeting several of the issues that have drawn headlines all over the country. Distracted driving, speeding and drunk driving are all elements that make the roads unsafe and cause car and truck crashes. By focusing on these areas, Dublin officials are working to make their community safer.

As part of the effort to combat distracted driving, the city of Dublin banned texting while driving earlier this year. They have also trained their officers to cite people for other distracted driving behaviors, such as reading or eating while driving. Anything that takes a person's eyes off the road poses a danger. The city has also created a safe ride program which encourages people who have had too much to drink to utilize free taxi rides, rather than driving drunk.

Public awareness campaigns are sweeping the nation as the cost of distracted driving has grown. Thousands of people die every year in car accidents that were caused by drivers not giving their full attention to the road. Driving is a privilege, not a right. Every person on the road owes a duty of care to their fellow motorists. When that duty is abandoned, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Source: ThisWeek Community Newspapers, "Police working to reduce accident numbers," by Jennifer Noblit, 7 December 2011