Since the inception of the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Partners for Safety effort in January 1998, the effort has ultimately hinged on local partnerships. Partners for Safety is a sustained and concerted effort to mix enforcement and public education in local communities.

Although several statewide corporate partnerships are in place, these only serve as the framework through which localized problems are addressed by Patrol posts in local communities.

Several partnerships, highlighted in this article, between the Patrol and local community organizations demonstrate the successes that can occur when we all come together to work for the common goal of making Ohio roadways safe.

In response to a fatal traffic crash that killed an unbuckled six-year-old child, the Findlay post saw the need for a program to better educate parents on the proper use of child seats and safety belt usage.

A group called, "Protecting Our Own," comprised of several Hancock County public safety and education organizations was formed to address child safety issues.

Protecting Our Own subgroups administer parenting classes on a regular basis and include a block of instruction in their curriculum on transporting children in vehicles. This instruction includes a trooper speaking on the proper use of child safety seats and safety belts.

Complimenting the local initiatives is an advertising campaign designed to increase awareness. A poster and billboard campaign depicts a trooper standing over a woman whose child has just been injured or killed in a crash. The poster’s messages, "Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late," and, "Use Child Seats While You Still Can," forward the child safety seat usage idea.

The poster version also includes several tips regarding child seat usage, and were distributed to local businesses and government agencies that routinely deal with parents and small children. Additionally, local child care centers distribute brochures featuring the same picture and safety messages.

A safety booth at the Hancock County Fair featured a videotape display promoting child seat safety, and offered safety brochures available to the public. Also, a 56 x 24 enlargement of the poster was on display. Future plans include a child safety seat demonstration at the Findlay Mall, public offices, and the Blanchard Valley Hospital.

Another success includes the Lima post which has participated in two successful local programs.

The first involved a multi-agency program on State Route 309 on both the east and west sides of Lima. The objective of this effort was to attack the high crash rates on this roadway by targeting leading crash causing violations, including failure to yield.

The effort on Lima’s west side partnered the Patrol with the Allen County Sheriff’s Office and the Lima Police Department. The partnership on the east side of Lima was even more extensive and included numerous private businesses along the State Route 309 corridor. Local businesses provided patrons with education material detailing failure to yield information. Tray liners at local restaurants and brochures distributed at other establishments also promoted the public education messages.

The second Lima post Partners for Safety initiative also involved public education through a wide-ranging public and private sector partnership to sponsor a public safety day at the Allen County Fair. Several local businesses sponsored the day by paying for the purchase of T-shirts and Frisbees to give away. Area public safety organizations provided displays and various exhibits to promote traffic and public safety. These displays included the Patrol’s command vehicle and a cruiser, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, and displays from the Lima Fire Department, and Progressive Insurance Company.

Defiance post officers joined forces with General Motors Powertrain to educate the public on safe driving techniques. A public safety education effort, on display at the Northtowne Mall from September 1-11, 1998, featured anti-impaired driving messages, and provided information on safety belt usage and the proper installation of child safety seats. Additionally, teenagers who made safety pledges while at the display received free movie tickets and pizza.

The Delaware post partnered with the Injury Prevention Office of the Columbus Health Department, and the Delaware City/County Health Department to sponsor a child safety seat inspection day at the Babies R Us store in northern Columbus. Safety officials inspected 64 child safety seats during the day, and found only one correctly installed.

This inspection effort came on the heels of a similar program conducted on June 6, 1998, by Delaware post personnel and other Delaware County safety and public representatives including Plaza Pontiac, Buick, GMC Truck, an Ohio Automobile Dealers Association Partner for Safety.

The Wooster post, in conjunction with the Wooster Police Department and the Wooster Wal-Mart, will host the Wooster Wal-Mart Safety Seat Awareness Day on October 3, 1998. This child safety seat inspection program will also include car inspections for participating motorists.

These partnerships are at the heart of the Partners for Safety effort. Patrol personnel, who live and work in the local communities in which many of these efforts occur, aid in the development of programs designed to increase the safety on Ohio roadways.

In upcoming months, look for more partnerships between the Highway Patrol and local businesses that are making safety a priority.