March 2018 Newsletter

Firearm research needed. GHSA pedestrian safety report. Raising awareness of heatstroke, bicycle, and water safety. March savings.

This month's issue highlights new data on pedestrian safety and drowsy driving, and the need for research on firearm safety as a public health issue. You also will find links to articles on "How to Organize a Bike Train," Heatstroke Awareness, NHTSA's Seat Belt Campaign, and Water Safety.

Our specials for March include Bicycle Safety as well as Child Passenger, Seat Belt, Distracted, and Impaired Driving. The details are on the calendar below and on the home page at imsafe.com.

Wishing you a safe and successful March,

Your Friends at I'm Safe!

NEWS

	Are pedestrians safer in your state? ... The Governors Highway Safety Association has released Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State based on 2017 preliminary data. Twenty-three states had increases in pedestrian fatalities; twenty had decreases; and seven remained the same. The seven states that legalized recreational use of marijuana "reported a collective 16.4 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities for the first six months of 2017" over the first six months of 2016, while all other states "reported a collective 5.8 percent decrease in pedestrian fatalities." Cell phone use is also suspected to be a factor. Read more here.
	Crashes involving drowsy driving are nearly eight times higher than federal estimates ... Video footage from inside vehicles that were involved in more than 700 crashes confirms that drowsy driving is "one of the most underreported traffic safety issues." Researchers with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety determined that 9.5 percent of all crashes involved drowsiness compared to federal estimates that "drowsiness is a factor in only one to two percent of crashes." Read more here.
	Plan a Bike to School Event in 7 days ... This year, more than 2,500 schools will participate in Bike to School Day on May 9th. The National Center for Safe Routes to School offers a guide to "Plan an Event in 7 Days," and a Bike Train Planning Guide that can be used any time of year. If you need fun educational materials for your bicycle safety events, I'm Safe! is offering 10% off our bike safety print products for orders of $250 or more until 3/31/18. Materials can be reviewed here.
	Creative ways to help prevent heatstroke ... As warm weather approaches, we wanted to share two ideas built by customer requests. One is a "Look Before You Lock" Window Cling with a working thermometer so parents get a better sense of how quickly temperatures can rise in a vehicle. The other is a Heatstroke Prevention Fan with custom messaging. Please call 1-877-669-7233, ext. 205 if you would like more information.
	Why is there a lack of evidence-based strategies that could help reduce gun death rates in the U.S.? ... According to Business Insider, the Centers for Disease Control used to collect data on gun ownership and use on a state-by-state level. But in 1996, Congress passed the Dickey Amendment, which mandated that the CDC could not use funds to advocate or promote gun control. The Atlantic reports that, "In 2016, more than 100 medical organizations signed a letter to Congress asking to lift the Dickey Amendment." Business Insider article. The Atlantic article.
	Planning ahead to prevent pool and spa drownings ... From Memorial Day through Labor Day in 2017, 163 children under age 15 reportedly downed in swimming pools or spas, according to the CPSC. Nearly two out of three were under age 5. I'm Safe! offers a variety of drowning prevention materials for water safety events and campaigns that can incorporate your messaging and feature your organization. Please contact us for more information.
	NHTSA promotes Seat Belt Enforcement mobilization ... Across the nation, paid advertising promoting seat belt use will run May 14 to June 3 with enforcement from May 21 to June 3, 2018. According to NHTSA, statistics show that passengers in vehicles, "are buckling up more during the day, but not enough at night." PEAK materials are available here. Take advantage of 10% off until 3/31 to order I'm Safe! Seat Belt Education materials customized for your agency or department.
	In case you missed it: Printed copies of the 2018 I'm Safe! Catalog and complimentary Safety Observance Calendar are now available. Request a catalog here. Request a printed calendar here.