This past Friday, the Palouse RTPO hosted its very first Summit as part of the Palouse Driver Safety Campaign. The Palouse Driver Safety Summit was a whole day filled with lots of information and was a great learning and networking experience. We as the Palouse RTPO staff learned about what is being done on a local to regional to state level to keep us all safe on the roadways.

We started the day with our keynote speakers Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson and WSDOT Eastern Regional Administrator Mike Gribner. Mayor Johnson gave a warm greeting and shared about projects that emphasize on driver safety, while addressing the importance of safety for the City of Pullman and WSU. Mike Gribner spoke to us about the value of driver safety programs. We heard about the response of the these programs in the Eastern Region of the state, including "Be Safe Cougs". Mike also discussed with us about the importance of personal responsibility in driver safety. WSDOT can change roads to be safer but they cannot change our behavior behind the wheel. Most important message is that it is up to all of us to make good choices while behind the wheel to do our part to make the roadways safe for everyone.

Our first session began with a presentation from DECA of Clarkston. We heard about the DECA Distracted Driving Campaign from students who are doing their part to educated their peers about the dangers of distracted driving. We were excited to hear about their past and future projects with this campaign. One upcoming project will be a PSA video about distracted driving. Watch our social media for this video. We will be sharing their work and we want to commend these teens for working to make our roadways a safer place for their peers and others. Watch for more of their projects and support them in any way you can.

The session continued with information about the state of Washington's Target Zero Campaign from Wade Alonzo with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission WTSC). The Target Zero campaign has a goal of zero deaths by the year 2030. If you have not heard of this campaign I urge you to visit their website and watch their video of why this is their goal. If the goal for your family is zero deaths, then shouldn't that be the overall goal? http://www.targetzero.com/

In our second session we heard from Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and WTSC about statistics and data analysis on pedestrian & bike fatalities, and US 195 Corridor Analysis. It was interesting to hear about the processes that go into analyzing the safety of our roadways and how they coordinate projects to address any issues. There is a lot more that goes into the planning of our roads than I realized. There is definitely a process to it as far as procedures and funding. Next time you think that they are doing nothing to solve a problem, remember they have to do analysis, form a plan and find funding to address problems on our roadways. So much more goes into the process that you might realize.

Our third session covered current and upcoming projects in Pullman. We heard from the City of Pullman, WSU Transportation and Pullman 2040. We heard about the important work they are doing around the city and WSU to address congestion, parking and more, including multimodal projects. As a college town it's so important to discuss all modes of transportation as we have people who not only drive but are biking and walking to get around our beautiful city of Pullman.

In our fourth session we heard from law enforcement and first responders. The most impactful was, Jessie McCleary from Whitman County First District 12, who had many of us in tears as she spoke to us about the Sam Thompson story. If you have driven US 195 from Pullman to Colfax, you may have seen the "Do Not Text & Drive" sign near the Albion Rd turn off. I urge to watch Sam's Story on YouTube if you have not heard his story. Jessie also spoke to us about Ginger Flynn, who happened to be in the audience, and her crash she experienced on US 195 when a truck who was driving too fast for conditions hit her head on. Luckily Ginger survived but had a long road of recovery. Today she is able to share her story while helping others to chose the correct insurance coverage.

Our fifth session discussed bike and pedestrian safety in our area. We heard about the current and future projects involving trails in Pullman and surrounding areas. As a rural community it is important to have access to trails for multimodal transportation. We have many people who walk and bike to work, school, and for recreation. It is important to provide a safe way for everyone to get around Pullman and our area.

Our day ended with hearing about the importance of car safety, having the correct insurance and proper driver education. Les Schwab provided important information about keeping your vehicle ready for emergencies, such as making sure you have all the proper equipment for changing a tire. Ginger spoke about the importance of having the right insurance to cover all your needs in case of an accident. Make sure you speak to your insurance agent about your coverage and chose the right one for your needs. Hubert Hogaboam from Gem Star Driving School is filled with so much knowledge about driver safety and is very passionate about it. Mr. Hogaboam has more than 40 years experience teaching ages 14 all the way to age 101. If you or someone you know is looking for an amazing driver's ed teacher, Mr. Hogaboam is the man.

Overall the day was filled with great information. While it was a lot to take in, it was worth spending the day learning about driver safety. It is great to know how many people are invested and working to keep us all safe on the road every day. The biggest lesson of the day was personal responsibility of being a safe driver. All these people can work to do their part to make the roads safe for us but we must all do our part by make the right choices when we get behind the wheel of our car. Driver safety starts with each and every one of us. Let's all work together to keep our roads safe for everyone so at the end of the day we may all get home to our loved ones.

Harvest Time on the Palouse

As harvest comes to a close and the Palouse scenery takes another majestic turn we can admire the beauty of the region we’ve come to call home. With this changing time also comes some important safety precautions that can help us all share the rural roads we sometimes find ourselves on. Transporting farm equipment by public roadway is a necessity for farmers on the Palouse. This can be a dangerous situation for motorists who are unfamiliar with with slow moving agricultural machinery. Recognize that you are in an agricultural environment where you might encounter these vehicles on the roadway. The potential for accident is high. If you approach a piece of farm equipment slow down and be patient. The farmer understands you trip may be delayed and will pull over at the first available safe place to allow you to pass.

Passing some of these machines is tempting as their size limits their speed, but being aware that the right condition is paramount to your safety and others on the road. If a farmer pulls off the road to let you pass, pass with caution. Do not assume that if a farmer pulls to the side of the road it is to let you pass. Large equipment must make wide left hand turns. Watch for signals from the farmer to see if it is safe to pass.Be aware of vehicles behind you that may be trying to pass as well. Do not pass in a "no passing lane" or within 100 feet of an intersection. Do not pass if you must enter on coming traffic, unless clearly ahead of the vehicle you are going to pass. 

Not only is agricultural equipment slow moving but it can overlap into other lanes, creating a hazardous situation. Makes sure to keep a lookout for machinery as many farmers are moving their equipment from one field to the next. This means slowing down on curves or one of the many hills. Corners, hills, and other blind spots can reduce your visibility of equipment on the roadway. Allowing space is never bad on the road especially when trailing behind heavy machinery so be sure to give them appropriate distance. If you are in oncoming traffic, pull over to the side of the road until the machinery has passed. It’s important to be conscious that if you can’t see the driver they probably can’t see you. Never assume that the farmer can see you if you are following from behind. Often they are looking ahead to keep equipment on the roadway and watching for on coming traffic.

Most often farm equipment is on the roadway for only a short time. Caution, courtesy, patience and attention to safety will ensure the safety of our roadways during the harvest season. Use these tips to help make all of our rural roads can be safe this year. Remember, farmers have the same rights to share the road as you do, so be safe and share the road!