By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

All of us see these dangerous occurrences on the roads we drive – even some of our closest family members and friends are guilty of it – and it needs to stop. Driving distracted is selfish but its consequences go far beyond the distracted driver, resulting in thousands of crashes and dozens of entirely preventable fatalities every year in Arizona.We all know it’s not a good idea to text and drive. Or fiddle with a navigation system for too long or doing anything else from the driver’s seat that takes away our attention from driving.

Gov. Doug Ducey has proclaimed Jan. 22-28 Distracted Driving Awareness Week, making this a good time to remind people that safer roads are, literally, in their hands. Here are some things we can all do to keep drivers’ eyes on the road and not their phones:

• If you know someone is driving, don’t text them.
• If your smartphone has the capability, engage the “do not disturb while driving” feature.
• Parents, set an example for kids and don’t reach for the phone when driving.
• In addition to smartphones, keep your hand free of food, drinks, makeup, electric shavers, toothbrushes (we’ve all seen that one guy, right?) and anything else that pulls your attention from driving.

Did you know that taking five seconds to send or read a text, while driving 55 mph, is like traveling the length of a football field with your eyes closed? A lot can happen in that span. Please, that text can wait.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

When it comes to reducing the number of vehicle crashes, fatalities and serious injuries, real change has to begin in the driver’s seat. Irresponsible drivers that are drunk, drugged, distracted or who think speed limits are a "suggestion" will continue to hurt and kill our loved ones unless we all start doing something about it. We choose how we behave behind the wheel. To make our roads safer, we must choose to take responsibility and keep drunks and drug-impaired people from getting behind the wheel.

This is especially important when trying to prevent wrong-way crashes. About two-thirds of all wrong-way drivers are impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription medication. These people have no business getting behind the wheel. Yet, impaired drivers remain a leading factor in fatal crashes of all kinds.

On the engineering side, the Arizona Department of Transportation will do everything we can to reduce wrong-way crashes. The first-in-the-nation wrong-way detection pilot project on Interstate 17 is in testing and will be operational in early 2018. We’ve also installed hundreds of "wrong way" signs on highway ramps and overpasses.

And earlier this week, in partnership with the Department of Public Safety and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, ADOT launched "Drive Aware, Get There," a wrong-way awareness safety campaign. The goal of “Drive Aware, Get There,” is simple: educate drivers on what they can do to increase their safety when driving at night, what to do if they encounter a wrong-way vehicle and what actions to take if they see an overhead sign warning of a wrong-way vehicle ahead.

We all must work together to reduce wrong-way crashes. Please do your part and keep impaired people from getting behind the wheel during the holiday party season and throughout the year.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

Sounds like a Beatles tune? In the transportation planning world, there is something called a long-range transportation plan and it outlines strategies for meeting the transportation needs of a region for a set period of time. For the Arizona Department of Transportation, we have published a draft of our long-range transportation plan for the next 25 years that outlines our state’s highway and bridge needs, and now we await final comments from you, our customers.

ADOT has undertaken two years of research and analysis, and conducted stakeholder outreach and gathered extensive public comments throughout the state in drafting our long-range transportation plan. We are required to update our long-range plan every five years. We look at available funding from state and federal resources, and project what we believe are the long-term strategies needed in meeting the transportation needs of the state. Based on the stakeholder outreach and available resources, ADOT’s long-range transportation plan will focus on preservation, safety and modernization projects, especially in greater Arizona.

You can find a copy of our long-range transportation plan at azdot.gov/WhatMovesYouArizona. Public comment runs through Dec. 21. We value the input we receive from our customers and encourage you to act by the deadline.

A long-range transportation plan is like a long and winding road. It is a process that takes time and takes you from one corner of the state to another. Eventually the plan leads to a long-term strategy of meeting the transportation needs of the citizens of Arizona.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

Did you know you should move your vehicle safely off the roadway if you are involved in a minor crash? The law requires you to move your vehicle off the roadway. This effort allows first responders to get to the crash faster and safer. With National Traffic Incident Management Week upon us (Nov. 13-19), it provides a golden opportunity to recognize the effort first responders perform when traffic incidents happen and bring awareness of what you can do to help yourself while in traffic.

National Traffic Incident Management Week aims to bring awareness about the dangers emergency responders face at traffic incidents. Whether those incidents are fender benders to multiple car crashes, emergency responders (fire, police, EMS, tow truck drivers, and transportation/maintenance workers) face the daunting task of helping motorists while keeping traffic moving and protecting themselves from harm. Unfortunately, national figures reflect the inherent dangers first responders face while in traffic:

• One tow-truck driver is killed every 6 days
• 5 firefighters are killed every year
• 20,000 on average of first responders are injured every year when responding to traffic incidents

At the Arizona Department of Transportation, we can pull vehicles off the roadway. For every minute that an incident takes up lane space, traffic backs up four minutes. We want to minimize the chance of secondary crashes occurring.

I commend our ADOT transportation/maintenance workers who arrive on the scene of a traffic incident and work alongside law enforcement, tow truck drivers, and EMS personnel to safely move traffic.

ADOT has produced a quick clearance public service announcement. Know what you need to do if you are ever involved in a minor crash.

Be a safe driver. Don’t drive distracted. Don’t drive impaired. Obey speed limits. Buckle Up. Let’s all do our part to keep our first responders safe as well as ourselves in traffic.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

Did you know the Arizona Department of Transportation has programs to help small, minority-owned or woman-owned businesses perform work on transportation projects? The programs are operated through our Business Engagement and Compliance Office or BECO, which is celebrating its fifth year within ADOT.

Small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses are referred to as disadvantaged business enterprises or DBEs. There are more than 1,100 DBE firms certified in Arizona. This year, more than 12 percent of federal highway transportation dollars have been awarded to these firms. This type of contract work means jobs and benefits for small businesses, which are a vital part of the state’s economy. It is making transportation personal.

BECO is required to submit data on a yearly basis to the Federal Highway Administration. This data reflects how well our programs are meeting the needs of DBEs and the small business community. Because of the success of our programs being offered through BECO and the outreach we do, Arizona is recognized as a national leader.

I commend our BECO staff for their commitment to providing quality programs that support small businesses and DBEs in being able to work in the transportation industry. ADOT is indeed bringing jobs and benefits to the small business community.

To learn more about BECO and the programs offered, visit ADOT Business Coach On Demand.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

The Arizona Department of Transportation has developed an app that is available now on mobile devices and is free. “ADOT Alerts” will help you avoid unplanned and lengthy travel delays, and other serious highway hazards like wrong-way drivers.

I am excited our ADOT Alerts app will help us quickly get critical information directly to motorists. With that information, travelers can make a decision to take a different route or stop somewhere for a bite to eat or stay where they’re at, and can avoid sitting in a long backup because of an unplanned event like a serious crash that closes a highway. ADOT Alerts will also help motorists know about public safety issues, like wrong-way vehicles or severe weather affecting state highways.

ADOT Alerts uses geofencing technology to send alerts to mobile devices in affected areas and in advance of roadway decision points, giving travelers plenty of time to choose an alternative route or delay their travel plans. All alerts are sent by a public information officer at ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center to ensure the alerts are accurate, critical in nature and appropriately targeted to a geographic area.

The app can be downloaded free of charge in Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Search for “ADOT Alerts” in the respective app store. Users do not need to sign up, register or create a log-in to use the app; you remain 100 percent anonymous.

The introduction of the ADOT Alerts app is just one more way ADOT is working to promote highway safety and reduce frustrations for drivers. I want drivers to be informed about issues, knowledgeable about options, and up-to-date on hazards. ADOT is indeed making transportation personal.

Go to ADOTAlerts.com for more information.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

We follow trends in transportation. It helps to know whether we are seeing a decline or increase in traffic crashes or fatalities from one year to the next – and why. It saddens me to report that Arizona is seeing an increase in the number of crashes and fatalities associated specifically with impairment due to the influence of drugs or medications. This trend is one that we, as a society, need to combat and educate drivers about the dangers associated with driving impaired on our roadways.

Here are some somber statistics: In 2016, drivers under the influence of drugs or medications were involved in 1,058 motor vehicle crashes that killed 99 people and injured 792. In 2015, there were 933 motor vehicle crashes that killed 77 people and injured 766 with drivers under the influence of drugs or medications. This trend is going in the wrong direction.

I believe ADOT has a responsibility to lend our support toward efforts that help educate the people of Arizona about the dangers associated with drug use, especially the opioid epidemic that has gripped our state.

The more we can do to educate our community to the dangers associated with drug use, driving impaired and its impact on our roadways, we will better off as a society. This effort will provide a trend in the right direction – reduced crashes and loss of life.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

We live in a digital world. This is ever so true at the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division. A recent analysis of MVD customer traffic for the 2017 fiscal year showed an upsurge in online usage at ServiceArizona.com and at kiosks. This uptick in customer traffic equaled the same level of traffic as we’d expect at two large urban “brick and mortar” MVD offices. In other words, more MVD business is being conducted in cyberspace, reducing the need to build more physical offices.

In fiscal year 2017, ServiceArizona.com and kiosk traffic accounted for a combined 7.9 million customer transactions such as vehicle registration renewals, ordering specialty license plates and updating insurance information. That’s an increase of about 286,000 online transactions compared to the previous fiscal year, which is approximately how many transactions two typical physical locations in Phoenix or Tucson will handle.

I commend our MVD employees who have embraced the Arizona Management System, a system designed to problem solve and improve customer service. I have written about the reduced wait times at MVD offices, which customers now can expect to spend 25 minutes less time in our urban offices. We have instituted online appointments for road tests, installed the means to update crucial auto insurance information and allowed veterans’ specialty license plates to be ordered online. Coming next year is the introduction of electronic title registration. Customers won’t have to come to a MVD office to conduct vehicle title registrations; such transactions can be done at home or office settings through a secure, electronic portal. We want people out of line and safely on the road.

All of these improvements ensure our customers, Arizona taxpayers, are receiving quality services and we are using resources efficiently.

It is indeed a digital world. The more online services MVD can provide ensures we are meeting our customers’ needs and on their schedule. It’s making transportation personal.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

The Arizona Department of Transportation will be constructing a first-in-the-nation thermal detection system, to alert law enforcement and other drivers of wrong-way vehicles in Phoenix. The system will be installed first on Interstate 17 from the I-10 to Loop 101. Based on the performance of the pilot system, further expansion to other freeways in the Valley will be explored.

Here is how the system will operate. On freeway ramps, wrong-way drivers will trigger alerts including illuminated signs with flashing lights, aimed at getting drivers to stop. The system will immediately warn other drivers through overhead message boards as well as law enforcement. Cameras in the area will automatically turn to face the wrong-way vehicle so traffic operators can better track it. On the freeway, thermal cameras placed at one-mile intervals will signal when a wrong-way vehicles passes so State Troopers plan their response and get out in front of the wrong-way driver.

The advantages of this system begin with automatically alerting ADOT and DPS to wrong-way drivers at the point of entry and getting State Troopers to wrong-way vehicles faster rather than wait for 911 calls from other motorists.

ADOT engineers continue to study new technologies that promote highway safety for all users, including tools for detection, tracking and notification of wrong-way drivers. This new system being installed can reduce the risk, but it can’t prevent wrong-way driving.

As I have said in previous posts, driving impaired, whether from alcohol or drugs, is selfish behavior and risks the lives of others. ADOT and our law enforcement partners can only do so much to tackle the problem of wrong-way driving. Statistics show the majority of wrong-way drivers are impaired. We all need to do our part in reminding family members and friends to be safe drivers behind the wheel; that includes not driving impaired.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

Congratulations to the 2017 graduates, both in high school and college! It is an exciting time. For high school graduates, it is a time for them to spread their wings, whether it is attending an in- or out-of-state four-year college, a community college, vocational program or military service. For college graduates and a degree in hand, it is the time to use that knowledge to work in a chosen field. Whatever these graduates do, it comes down to making wise choices.

As a parent, we try to instill in our children the importance of making wise choices; if not, there always are consequences when a wrong choice is made. That is ever-so-true when it comes to driving. So many things can go wrong if a young driver doesn’t wear a seat belt, is distracted while driving, is impaired due to alcohol or drugs, or speeding. As the father of two sons, I understand the role we, parents, play in making sure our children are safe drivers and that they make wise choices behind the wheel.

Here is a sobering statistic. Young drivers, age 16-24, were involved in 19 fatal crashes (alcohol-related or otherwise) in May 2016, resulting in 20 fatalities. That means 20 people are not here today, living their dreams, because someone made a wrong choice.

I would say to the graduates celebrate your accomplishment but be wise. Don’t drink and drive. Use a designated driver or other modes like transit, light rail, taxi or Lyft/Uber. Wear a seat belt. Obey speed limits. Show your parents you listened to them; make wise choices.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.