The start of a new year is when many people create goals and set intentions, which is why now is a great time for everyone to reflect on their driving habits and resolve to make safety a focus in 2020.

Of course, I’m not implying that everyone reading this is an unsafe driver — I’m just saying there’s always room for improvement when it comes to road safety.

 Not sure what you can do to be a better driver in 2020? Here are just a few suggestions:

• Don’t speed and don’t drive aggressively.
• Never drive impaired.
• Avoid distractions when you’re behind the wheel.
• Buckle up and make sure your passengers are wearing their seatbelts too.
• Move Over.
• Expect the unexpected in work zones.
• Know what to do when you encounter dangerous conditions like, snow and dust storms.

I also want to encourage you to sign our Driving Safety Home pledge. It’s a great way to kick off the New Year. Print it, sign it and post it where you'll see it every day.

By taking the pledge, you agree to make safety a priority and set a positive example for others — it is a step that demonstrates your individual commitment to being a safer driver. Ultimately, you’re making a promise to yourself, your friends, your family and everyone you share the road with.

If you need more safe-driving tips to take you into the New Year, there are many resources from ADOT. You can visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 to get the latest highway conditions before you get on the road. You can also download the AZ511 app and the ADOT Alerts app — both are free and inform you on traffic conditions before you get on the road. As always, please share this information with your family and loved ones — encourage them to take the pledge too.

This year is almost over — can you believe it?

As 2019 winds down, many of us have plenty of holiday parties, events and family gatherings to attend. All those end-of-the-year festivities can be fun, but let’s make sure we end this year safely.

Before you head out on the road, it’s worth taking some time to plan ahead. If you’re attending a holiday party, please make sure you have a safe ride home.

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Across the country, 10,511 people died from drunk-driving crashes in 2018, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There are no excuses. If you have been drinking, don’t drive. Here are some tips from NHTSA on how to plan ahead:

• Plan your safe ride home before you start the party. Choose a non-drinking friend as a designated driver.
• If someone you know has been drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel. Take their keys and help them arrange a sober ride home. 
• If you drink, do not drive for any reason. Call a taxi, a ride-sharing service, or a sober friend. 
• If you’re hosting a party where alcohol will be served, make sure all guests leave with a sober driver.
• Always wear your seat belt—it’s your best defense against impaired drivers.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement. Your actions could help save someone’s life.

I encourage all of you to reflect on ways you can be a safer driver year-round. For more safe-driving tips, please check out our Focus on Driving website. As always, please share what you learn with your family and loved ones.

I hope this holiday season is happy for you and your family. Safely home!

Winter hasn’t officially started, but at ADOT, we know colder temperatures and icy conditions are on their way. We also know that our snowplow fleet is prepped and that our operators are trained and ready to go.

Our team is prepared, but we really need drivers to be ready, too...

Each year, I use this Driving Safety Home column to remind everyone that when you’re behind the wheel, you need to know how to handle your vehicle in snowy and icy conditions. As I’ve said previously, winter travel safety tips generally don’t change much from year to year, but that doesn’t mean we can become complacent.

So I’d like to encourage you to review the winter-driving safety tips on our Focus on Driving website. As always, be sure to share what you learn with your loved ones.

I also want to remind you about keeping your vehicle ready for winter trips and the importance of a winter emergency kit. Just like in the summertime, it’s crucial to be prepared and to expect the unexpected. You never know when a storm or a crash might create the need for an unplanned road closure that might last for hours. Drivers should be prepared.

Before you even head out on a trip, make sure your vehicle is in good working condition by paying special attention to the battery, ignition and exhaust systems, thermostat, defroster, heater, tires, and brakes.

You should never drive into snowy, icy or cold conditions without a fully charged cell phone, drinking water, and winter coats, warm blankets or both. But also consider keeping these items available too:

• Gloves, scarves, caps and extra socks
• Necessary prescribed medication(s) and pain relievers
• First-aid kit
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Ice scraper
• Small bag of sand (or kitty litter) for wheel traction
• Small folding shovel for snow removal
• Travel tool kit and battery cables
• Safety flares
• Plastic bags or containers for sanitation
• Healthy snacks
• Road map

Also be sure to stay informed. You can visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 to get the latest highway conditions. ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) is an excellent source of information, as is ADOT’s free app that sends critical information directly to app users in affected areas — find details at ADOTAlerts.com.

For more information and tips on staying safe on the road this winter, visit our Know Snow and Focus on Driving sites.

Winter hasn’t officially started, but at ADOT we know colder temperatures and icy conditions are on their way. We also know that our snowplow fleet is prepped and that our operators are trained and ready to go.

Our team is prepared, but we really need drivers to be ready too.

Each year, I use this Driving Safety Home column to remind everyone that when you’re behind the wheel, you need to know how to handle your vehicle in snowy and icy conditions. As I’ve said previously, winter travel safety tips generally don’t change much from year to year, but that doesn’t mean we can become complacent.

So I’d like to encourage you to review the winter-driving safety tips on our Focus on Driving website. As always, be sure to share what you learn with your loved ones.

I also want to remind you about keeping your vehicle ready for winter trips and the importance of a winter emergency kit. Just like in the summertime, it’s crucial to be prepared and to expect the unexpected. You never know when a storm or a crash might create the need for an unplanned road closure that might last for hours. Drivers should be prepared.

Before you even head out on a trip, make sure your vehicle is in good working condition by paying special attention to the battery, ignition and exhaust systems, thermostat, defroster, heater, tires and brakes. 

You should never drive into snowy, icy or cold conditions without a fully charged cellphone, drinking water and winter coats, warm blankets or both. But also consider keeping these items available too:

• Gloves, scarves, caps and extra socks
• Necessary prescribed medication(s) and pain relievers
• First-aid kit
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Ice scraper
• Small bag of sand (or cat litter) for wheel traction
• Small folding shovel for snow removal
• Travel tool kit and battery cables
• Safety flares
• Plastic bags or containers for sanitation
• Healthy snacks
• Road map

Also be sure to stay informed. You can visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 to get the latest highway conditions. ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) is an excellent source of information, as is ADOT’s free app that sends critical information directly to app users in affected areas – find details at ADOTAlerts.com.

For more information and tips on staying safe on the road this winter, visit our Know Snow and Focus on Driving sites.

Fall is here – school is back is session and cooler weather is on its way. In Arizona, this is the time of year when more activities start to fill calendar.

No matter how busy you and your family are, I hope you’ll make time to talk to your teen drivers about staying safe behind the wheel. Oct. 20-26 is National Teen Driver Safety Week and offers a good reminder of why we need to focus on teen driver safety.

Did you know that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2017, there were 2,247 people killed in crashes involving a teen driver, of which 755 deaths were the teen driver.

While the statistics are not exactly reassuring, it is encouraging to know that parents can be the biggest influencers on teens’ choices behind the wheel. You just have to start the conversation and take the time to talk.

Need some conversation starters? The NHTSA offers these suggestions for talking with your teens:

Don’t Drive Impaired – Set a good example and remind your teen that drinking before the age of 21 is illegal, and alcohol and/or marijuana and driving should never mix, no matter your age. Also remind them that driving under the influence of any impairing substance – including illicit, prescription or over-the-counter drugs – could have deadly consequences.

Buckle Up – Every Trip. Every Time. Everyone – Front Seat and Back – Lead by example. If you wear your seat belt every time you’re in the car, your teen is more likely to follow suit.

Eyes on the Road, Hands on the Wheel. All the Time – Remind your teen about the dangers of texting, dialing, or using mobile apps while driving. Require your young driver to put their phones away when they are on the road and turn on the “Do Not Disturb” or similar feature on their phone.

Obey All Posted Speed Limits – Speeding is a critical issue for all drivers, especially for teens who lack the experience to react to changing circumstances around their cars. Obey the speed limit, and require your teen to do the same.

Limit Passengers – With each passenger in the vehicle, your teen’s risk of a fatal crash increases.

Of course, this conversation doesn’t just have to happen once a year. I encourage you to talk with your children early and often about the responsibilities associated with driving. For more information, visit the NHTSA’s website.

Did you know that more than 20 percent of all people killed on Arizona roadways in 2018 weren’t wearing seat belts? That equaled 216 unnecessary fatalities.

Seat belt use in Arizona has been on a decline, dropping from 88 percent in 2016 to 85.9 percent in 2018, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In contrast, the national seat belt use was reported at 89.6 percent in 2018.

It’s important to understand the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt and learn how you can make a positive difference. Start by setting the right example. Always wear your seat belt every time you drive. Model the behavior you want others to follow, especially your kids. Before you start to drive, make sure all passengers are buckled up properly or properly restrained in the appropriate car seat. Remember that in addition to saving lives, child car seats are required by Arizona law. Children younger than 8 years old and under 4 feet 9 inches must be properly secured in a safety or booster seat.

Vehicles come standard with an increasing amount of tech, all designed to keep us safer. But the simple seat belt proves to be one of the best defenses against impaired, aggressive and distracted drivers. Being buckled up during a crash helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle. For seat belt safety tips, go to FocusonDriving.com.

Unfortunately, drivers today still need to be convinced because the lack of seat belt use continues to be one of the leading factors in traffic deaths. Buckle up and get safely home!

At ADOT, our No. 1 goal is for everyone to get home safely.

Of course, we cannot accomplish that goal alone. We need drivers to help by making better choices behind the wheel. There are too many preventable collisions, fatalities and injuries occurring on Arizona’s roads.

We know this because ADOT publishes the Motor Vehicle Crash Facts Report every year. The report is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided to ADOT by law enforcement agencies around the state. The report reflects crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, reservation roads and state highways.

According to the latest report, Arizona saw fewer crashes, fewer fatal crashes, fewer injury crashes and fewer crash-caused injuries on its roadways in 2018 compared to 2017. However, despite reductions in those key areas, the number of total traffic fatalities increased by 2%.

Here are some other key takeaways from the report:

• From 2017 to 2018, Arizona saw fewer deaths in alcohol-related crashes, speeding-related crashes and those not wearing seat belts. In fact, alcohol-related fatalities were reduced significantly last year, falling from 324 in 2017 to 261 in 2018. These reductions were accomplished despite Arizona seeing its total licensed drivers grow by nearly 90,000 to 5.3 million and the total number of vehicles registered in the state surpass 6 million for the first time.
• The number of people killed not wearing seat belts fell for the fourth year in a row — from 258 in 2015 to 216 in 2018 — but unbuckled occupants still account for more than a fifth of all traffic fatalities.
• Total crashes and fatalities involving motorcycles and bicyclists also saw a decrease. The total number of collisions involving motorcycles fell by 6% and fatalities dropped from 161 in 2017 to 150 in 2018. Collisions involving bicyclists saw a 14.6% decrease and fatalities (24) fell to the lowest total since 2012.
• Pedestrians account for nearly a quarter of the 1,021 killed in vehicle crashes. Pedestrian-related fatalities have climbed from 155 in 2014 to 245 in 2018. Most pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas and pedestrians should cross streets only at marked crosswalks where drivers expect to see them.
• Officially, there were 11,898 drivers engaged in “distracted driving behavior” that were involved in collisions, including 42 fatal crashes. However, it is widely accepted that number of crashes caused by distracted drivers is much higher than reported because distracted drivers that cause crashes typically don’t admit to the act or died in the crash.

So, what can we learn from the data? I think it shows that all of us have a big responsibility and as drivers, we need to reflect on our behaviors and make adjustments. I encourage you to visit ADOT’s Focus on Driving website for safe-driving tips and as always, please share what you learn with your family and loved ones.

By Dallas Hammit / ADOT State Engineer

Did you know that May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month?

While all of us should remember to share the road year-round, I hope that you’ll use this month to reflect on your driving habits and resolve to be more aware of other motorists, whether they’re driving a vehicle with two wheels or four.

In case you need a refresher, here are some good safety tips:

For all road users

• Remember: A motorcyclist has the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as any other motorist on the roadway.
• Give a motorcyclist a full lane width to maneuver safely.
• Always look for motorcycles by checking your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes.
• Motorcycles are smaller and more difficult to see, so keep an eye out.
• Allow more distance – three or four seconds – when following a motorcycle. This gives the motorcycle rider more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

For motorcyclists

• Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed.
• Wear a helmet and use reflective tape and gear to be more visible. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates motorcycle helmets saved an estimated 1,859 lives in 2016.
• Never ride while impaired or distracted – it is not worth the risk of killing or injuring yourself or someone else.
• When it comes to riding a motorcycle, training and safety gear are critical. ADOT encourages all riders to take a state-authorized training course.

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

By Dallas Hammit / ADOT State Engineer

All around the country, state DOTs, along with our federal partners and various transportation associations, will all focus on work zone safety April 8-12.

That’s right: National Work Zone Awareness Week is almost upon us once again, and this year’s theme is “Drive Like You Work Here.”

Even for those of us who work at ADOT, it can be easy to slip into bad driving habits when we’re on the road. I hope that we can all take the time to examine our behaviors and decide that there’s no excuse to drive recklessly through work zones.

At ADOT, we all have to set a good example behind the wheel. With more than 1,000 employees who work in maintenance and construction projects on highways throughout the state, work zone safety is one of the most important issues we deal with. We want everyone to get home at the end of a workday. I’m glad National Work Zone Awareness Week shines a light on the issue.

ADOT is working on in partnership with the Arizona Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America and the League of Arizona Cities and Towns to promote the week.

For example, like last year, the State Capitol dome, as well as the House and Senate buildings, will be lit orange from dusk to dawn during the week. You’ll also want to keep an eye on ADOT’s Twitter and Facebook accounts and our overhead signs for various work zone safety messages.

Finally, I’d like to encourage you to visit azdot.gov/workzone for more information, including videos and safety tips. As always, I hope you will share what you learn with your loved ones. Stay safe!

EDITOR'S NOTE: More safety messages from Dallas Hammit, ADOT's state engineer and deputy director for transportation, are available at Driving Safety Home on azdot.gov.

By Dallas Hammit / ADOT Deputy Director for Transportation

The state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan is ready for another update … and no, you’re not suffering from déjà vu – this is the plan that was updated by ADOT and its partners back in 2014.

We’re updating it again because that’s what federal regulations call for, plus it gives us a good chance to take a look at what’s working and tackle any challenges.

As you might remember, the goal for the Strategic Highway Safety Plan is to help reduce fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads in Arizona. In an attempt to reach that goal, the current plan outlines several emphasis areas including speeding and aggressive driving, impaired driving, occupant protection, motorcycles and distracted driving.

For this update, we’re narrowing our focus to just five emphasis areas – intersections, behavior-related crashes, road/lane departures, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and crash data.

While all the emphasis areas are important, I want to draw your attention to the one related to behavior-related crashes.

We know that driver behaviors are responsible for most crashes, and we also know that it is difficult to get motorists to change their behaviors.

That’s why I want to encourage you, as I have before in these monthly messages, to help spread the word to your friends and family. It’s important that we all take a look at our own driving habits and make changes where necessary.

I hope you’ll also let your loved ones know about the Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Invite them to check out the Strategic Highway Safety Plan website and stay informed as the update progresses.