Driving Safety Home: Let’s all do our part to make sure 2017 ends on a safe note

By Dallas Hammit / ADOT State Engineer

This is the final Driving Safety Home message of 2017, and as I look back over the past year, I am reminded of the many ways this agency has encouraged employees and the public to make safety a priority.

From a clever safety message contest at the start of the year to the widely attended Safety Stand Down Day earlier this fall, 2017 has been filled with campaigns and initiatives that have put an emphasis on safety both on the road and in the workplace.

As I do every year at this time, I encourage all of you to revisit the Driving Safety Home archives for ideas to consider when you’re making any New Year’s resolutions – hopefully, at least one of your goals includes a focus on safer driving. At this point, we have five years’ worth of messaging for you to consider. It’s hard to believe that the Driving Safety Home campaign has been in place for that long. The goal for the program has always been to increase awareness about transportation-safety issues and to ultimately motivate positive changes in driver behavior.

But before the New Year begins, let’s make sure that 2017 ends on a safe note.

As you and your loved ones travel to all the festivities that seem to take over the calendar during this time of year, be sure that you’re wearing your seat belt and avoiding all distractions while driving. And if you’re attending a holiday party or New Year’s Eve celebration, make sure you have a safe and sober ride home.

Of course, if you need additional safety tips this holiday season, there are plenty of places to find that information. Visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 to get the latest highway conditions before you get on the road. ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) is also an excellent source of information, as is ADOT’s new free app that sends critical information directly to app users in affected areas – find details at ADOTAlerts.com. And, if you’re headed into snowy conditions, be sure to check out azdot.gov/KnowSnow for information on how to prepare.

Finally, I'd like to wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season!

Editor's Note: More safety messages from Dallas Hammit, ADOT's state engineer, are available at Driving Safety Home on azdot.gov.