Ohio Safe Communities is a data-driven initiative to save lives and reduce injuries through collaboration among state, county and local partners. In FFY 2017 there are 45 countywide community-based programs. Each program has five primary goals:
- Increasing seat belt usage
- Increasing seat belt and impaired driving awareness
- Increasing motorcycle safety awareness
- Coalition building
- Fatality data review
The Licking County Safe Communities Coalition meets every other month at the Licking County Health Department. If you are interested in participating on the coalition contact Bri Perkins at (740) 755-4675 or by Email.
National Campaigns
Licking County Safe Communities participates in each of the Ohio Traffic Safety Office’s National Enforcement Campaigns to increase awareness of the consequences of traffic violations. These campaigns revolve around the busiest and most dangerous times on the road: holidays, nationwide events, and changes in weather. The coalition supports these mobilizations by attending events, posting social media posts, and publishing press releases. To see the calendar of National Enforcement Mobilizations and their goals, click here.
Impaired Driving
Drugs and alcohol are substances that reduce the function of the brain and impair thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination. All these abilities are essential to safely operate a vehicle. Licking County ranks 10th in Ohio in 3-year average of fatal crashes, with 41 percent of those fatal crashes involving a driver impaired by alcohol and/or drugs. Every August, Licking County Safe Communities holds a Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Kick-Off Event to raise awareness of the dangers of driving impaired. If you would like to get involved with this Kick-Off Event, contact Bei Perkins at (740) 755-4675 or by Email.
Seat Belt Usage
Buckling up is one of the safest choices a driver can make. Wearing your seat belt keeps you safe and secure inside your vehicle while being unbuckled can result in total ejection. Ejection almost always results in death. As of 2018, the national seat belt usage rate is 89.6 percent while Licking County’s usage rate is 86.4 percent. Licking County Safe Communities participates in the national Click It or Ticket Kick-Off campaign by holding a Click It or Ticket Kick-Off Event every year in May. This event raises awareness of the dangers of not buckling up as more people are on the road in the summer. If you would like to get involved with this Kick-Off Event, contact Bri Perkins at (740) 755-4675 or by Email.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving. This can include texting, talking with passengers, eating, talking on Bluetooth, and many more. Every school year, Licking County Safe Communities gives presentations in county high schools about the consequences of driving distracted and the Ohio Graduated Driver Licensing Laws. Crashes are the number one killer of teens and distracted driving accounts for over half of all teen driver related crashes.