Summer Safety Tips

Summer Safety with the PRTPO 

As the wheat fields grow and college students return home, the Palouse welcomes in a new season. These past two weeks, Washington State University, Lewis and Clark State College, and the University of Idaho celebrated the newest class of alumni. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2021!  We are so proud of your accomplishments and can't wait to see where your degree takes you. We are also celebrating the end of the school year, congrats to all students for working hard and persevering through a difficult school year. With the official start of summer upon us, the Palouse Regional Transportation Planning Organization is looking forward to a fun and safe Summer. Regardless of where or how you are traveling this Summer, it is critical to work together to make our roadways a safer place. 

Traveling Home for the Summer 

Over 10,000 students will be leaving the Palouse region for the Summer and heading home. With increased traffic on roadways, it is important to remain vigilant and prepared for unforeseen situations. When driving long distances, remember to always stay focused on the road. Always pull over to address any possible distractions and stay alert at all times. 

It is also important to be prepared for changing road conditions. When traveling long distances, you may experience a variety of road and weather conditions. During this time of the year, be aware of thunderstorms, rain, and wind that can come in quickly. Checking road conditions before hitting the road is also extremely important in ensuring a safe and prepared ride home. 

Share the road! 

As the temperatures continue to rise, more and more bikes and pedestrians will be hitting the road. Biking and walking is a great way to stay fit and reduce your carbon footprint, however, it can also be dangerous if motorists and bikers are not prepared. If you plan on biking, remember to check your brakes air, and chains and check bike routes before hitting the road. It is also important to remember to always wear a helmet, use hand signals and ride with the flow of traffic. If you are a motorist, it is also important to always be aware of your surroundings and watch for bike lanes. Sharing the road and being considerate of their signals and presence is key to keeping everyone safe. 

Happy Memorial Day! 

Next weekend is memorial day weekend and we hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend! Monday, May 31 is Memorial Day. This federal holiday honors and mourns all military personnel who have lost their lives in the performance of their military duties while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The PRTPO gives their gratitude and thanks to all who have served and gave the ultimate sacrifice. 

Memorial Day Weekend is also the "unofficial start of summer" and we are excited to welcome warmer temperatures, lake days, BBQs, and summer vacations. According to AAA, 37 Million Americans will travel nationwide this holiday weekend. With increased traffic on the roadways, it is imperative to practice safe driving habits. Wherever you may be traveling, remember to never look at your phone or let any other distractions take your eyes off of the roadways. It is also important to remember to always wear your seatbelt and check road conditions before hitting the road. Most importantly, remember to always stay alert and never drink and drive. 

What's next for the Palouse Driver Safety Campaign? 

Join us next Friday, May 28 at 5 PM PST via Instagram and Facebook Live for our monthly workshop! This month we will be covering more summer safety tips to keep everyone safe on our roadways this summer. You can also catch up on our latest podcasts at https://open.spotify.com/show/6dn0Gz4HtJ5uWJMzJwGaS8 

Remember to us on social media for the latest safety tips and traffic updates! Have a great weekend and stay safe! 

The Best Mother's Day Gift

 

We've all been through so much this past year and one group that has especially struggled has been Mothers. Our mothers do so much for us by putting our needs before their own and helping us through the craziness life throws our way, like a pandemic perhaps. If you're searching for the perfect gift for your mother then look no further. One of the best gifts a mother can receive is knowing her children are safe.

While you are out late having fun or going on a trip with friends, your mom is back home worrying about if you're being safe and acting responsibly. Worry can take a big toll on someone's health and it's a feeling best avoided. Make your mom's day by letting her know the ways you are improving your safety habits.

With this month also being National Bicycle Month, it's the perfect time to refresh your memory with all the steps you should be taking to ensure your safety.

Bicycles aren't the only bikes that need to take safety precautions, Motorcycles cause an average of 75 deaths annually in Washington according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. While a motorcycle may not be your mothers preferred choice of transportation for you to take, motorcycles are still a reliable transportation method that many people enjoy riding. Because motorcycles have a higher probability of crashing than a car, it's important to ensure you are following every safety precaution.

While everyone is driving and operating their metal modes of transportation, there are people out on the street taking a casual stroll. These are the people that bikes, motorcycles, and cars all have to pay attention to. If vehicles and pedestrians both do their part to stay out of each other's ways, then everyone will be roaming in a safer environment. While you are going on your Mother’s Day walk this Sunday, make sure to follow all these safety tips.

Share these safety tips with your mom this Mother’s Day to let her know the precautions you’re taking to ensure not only your personal safety but the safety of others around you. Safety guidelines are in place to keep people protected, not following them doesn’t benefit anyone. As everyone is out this weekend enjoying the sunshine, remember to give your mothers the appreciation they deserve by committing to acting safe and responsibly. Happy Mother’s Day, stay safe!

Go the extra mile by signing our Safe Driving Pledge , this demonstrates your commitment to staying safe on the roads. Sign it to encourage yourself and reassure your mom that you are driving responsibly.

For more safety information, follow our social media for consistent updates.

Check out our new podcast where we talk about distracted driving and share local stories

Keep an ear out for our next podcast on Thursday, May 13, 2021.  We'll be addressing a number of safety issues including wildfires and bicycle safety. Tune in for more tips and tricks!

Safe Driving Awareness Week 2021 Recap

                         

Recap - Safe Driving Awareness Week

Palouse Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) celebrated our 2021 Safe Driving Awareness Week from April 18th -24th. Our goal was to share the message of safe driving and warn against the dangers of distracted driving. Whitman County saw 102 serious injury and fatal crashes between 2015-2020. Our goal is to have 0 serious injury and fatal crashes by 2030. Our campaign has seen improvement since we started in 2016. From 2011-2015, 34% of fatal and serious injury crashes were caused by distracted drivers, 12% by drowsy drivers, and 54% by young/inexperienced drivers. From 2015-2020 those numbers declined to 21% by distracted drivers, 9% by drowsy drivers, and 33% by young/inexperienced drivers. During our awareness week, we were able to reach over 2,500 people with this message. 

Here’s what you missed: 

We held trivia nights, zoom presentations, and giveaways with involvement from university students and the local community. Thank you to all the Greek Chapters that participated in our week-long competition. Congratulations to the University of Idaho’s Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority for winning the competition. They received Insomnia Cookies for their entire house! Here is the Competition Leadership Board including all the runner-ups.

1. UI Kappa Alpha Theta 

2. UI Theta Chi

3. WSU Alpha Chi Omega/ UI Gamma Phi Beta 

4. WSU Phi Delta Theta 

5. UI Kappa Kappa Gamma 

6. WSU Sigma Nu

7. WSU Kappa Delta 

8. WSU Alpha Delta Pi

(UI Kappa Alpha Theta with their Insomnia Cookie Prize!)

Our Safe Driving Pledge received 14 new signatures, that’s 14 people on the road that have pledged to drive safely and responsibly! We received over 200 views combined on our Facebook and Instagram Trivia Nights and our Safe Driving Zoom Presentations. There are links to all the recordings below. Live participants had the chance to win gift cards to Amazon, Dutch Bros, and Domino’s. Thank you to everyone that participated and congratulations to all of our giveaway winners.

Access recordings of our events from our Safe Driving Awareness Week here

Instagram Trivia Night:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN3ZwIvn9Os/ 

Facebook Trivia Night: 

https://www.facebook.com/SafePalouseDrivers/videos/476731886710534

Sign the Safe Driving Pledge:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeO63hg3HR8tXOTIc-y6NAQ59wSbUAEBaO_Un5BMzMb9hxhSg/viewform

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