Category Archives: Press Releases

Heatstroke Risk for Children in Vehicles

Wood County Safe Communities announced that there have been 6 fatal crashes in Wood County for the calendar year 2019, compared to 7 for the same time frame in 2018.

Outside of crashes, heatstroke is the number one vehicle-related killer of children in the United States.  Approximately one child every nine days will die due to vehicular heatstroke. In fact, in 2018, there were 52 preventable deaths of children in vehicles. This makes 2018 the year with the most fatalities that we have had in four years nationwide.

A child’s body temperature can rise more than five times faster than an adult, and heatstroke can occur with outside temperatures as low as 57 degrees. On an 80-degree day, a car can reach a deadly heat level in just about 10 minutes.

Here are some tips for caregivers to prevent heatstroke:

  • NEVER leave a child in a vehicle unattended. Even for a minute.
  • Make it a habit to look in the back seat when exiting the car – EVERY TIME.
  • ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach of children.

Simple Steps for bystanders to prevent heatstroke:

  • Make sure the child is okay and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.
  • If the child appears to be okay, attempt to locate the parents of have the facility’s security or management page the car owner over the PA system.
  • If there is someone with you, have one-person actively search for the parent while other(s) wait at the car.
  • If the child is not responsive and appears to be in distress, attempt to get into the car to assist the child – even if that means breaking the window.

Far too many children have been inadvertently left in vehicle or have gotten into a vehicle on their own. Vehicular heatstroke tragedies change the lives of parents, families, and communities forever. So, remember to look before you lock!

For More Information:

  • Lt. Angel Burgos, Ohio State Highway Patrol: 419-352-2481
  • Sandy Wiechman, Safe Communities Coordinator: 419-372-9353 or swiechm@bgsu.edu

Safe Communities of Wood County Press Release

Wood County Safe Communities announced today that there have been 5 fatal crashes in Wood County for calendar year 2019, compared to six for the same time frame in 2018.

During a crash, being buckled up helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas being completely thrown out of your vehicle almost always leads to injury. Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers.

Data from NHTSA show that nearly half (48%) of the 22,441 occupants killed in crashes in 2015 were unbuckled. In addition, 57 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night were not wearing their seat belts, compared to 40 percent killed during the daytime. Men continue to outnumber women in not wearing seat belts – 52 percent to 42 percent respectively. Pickup truck occupants tend to be the lowest among any other vehicle type in wearing seat belts –59 percent of drivers killed were not wearing a seat belt, compared to 54 percent for SUV drivers, 42 percent for passenger car drivers, and 41 percent for van driver.

Though some believe airbags can replace seat belts in the event of an accident, the force of being thrown into a rapidly opening airbag could injure or even kill. Airbags were designed to work in conjunction with seat belts to maximize safety efforts. Your pelvis and rib cage are more able to withstand crash force than other parts of your body, which is why it’s important to secure your seat belt over these areas. If impact should occur, these areas will be able to take more of the pressure from seat belts and airbags to protect the rest of the body.

Ejection from the vehicle remains one of the most injurious events that can happen to a person in a crash. In fatal crashes, about 80 percent of passenger vehicle occupants who were totally ejected from the vehicle were killed. Seat belts are very effective in preventing total ejections.

There are several steps you can take to get the best seat belt fit for your safety. When buying a car, test the belts provided to see if they are a good fit for you. You can talk to your car dealer about options for seat belt adjusters and extenders if necessary. For those with older vehicles, your seat belt may be outdated for current standards. Check with the vehicle manufacturer to determine the best option for you.

Click it or Ticket!

October is National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week

Safe Communities announced today that there have been 11 fatal crashes to date compared to 11 last year at this time.

October is a month filled with traffic safety educational efforts. October 21 –27 is National Teen Driver Safety Week. Safe Communities encourages all parents and guardians not to hand over the keys until their teen knows the rules of the road.

Motor Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens 15-18 in the United States- ahead of all other types of injury, disease, and violence. The amount of teen drivers of passenger vehicles (15-18 years old) killed in motor vehicle crashes has doubled since 2016. To combat the issue, NTSA offers parents and caregivers helpful tips and a framework to talk to their teen drivers about risky driving behaviors that can lead to fatal consequences.

October 19 -25 is National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week. This week is designed to encourage students to choose responsibility and take the opportunity to change the culture of binge drinking on-campus and off. Wood County Safe Communities remind everyone that it never and option to drink and drive. No matter the amount of alcohol you’ve consumed, designate a sober driver or plan to use a public transportation method to make it safely to your destination. Help us spread our traffic safety messages with the goal of lowering the number of teen fatalities as well as the number of alcohol related crashes.

For More Information:

Lt. Angel Burgos, Ohio State Highway Patrol: 419-352-2481
Sandy Wiechman, Safe Communities Coordinator: 419-372-9353 or swiechm@bgsu.edu

September Traffic Safety Initiatives

Wood County Safe Communities announced today that there have been 10 fatal crashes in Wood County compared to 10 through this same period last year.
 September 10-16, 2018 is National Commercial Vehicle Appreciation Week. Please take a moment to honor all professional drivers for their hard work and commitment in tackling one of the economy’s most demanding and important jobs. These men and women are not only doing their jobs but also working to keep our highways safe. To show your appreciation, remember to move over and slow down, if you see a commercial vehicle stopped on the highway. Do this all of the time, and not just during this designated week.
 September 17-23, 2018 is Child Passenger Safety Seat Awareness week. It is essential for parents to make sure child safety equipment in their vehicles is current with state and federal regulations and installed properly. Child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers. Car seats are most effective when installed properly and used correctly. In fact, children in correctly used booster seats are 45% less likely to be injured in a crash. Residents of Wood County are encouraged to contact either Wood County Hospital or Safe Kids of Greater Toledo to schedule a car seat inspection. Make sure to secure your child’s future, by placing him or her in the correct seat at all times.

BG Back to School Traffic Safety

Wood County Safe Communities announced today that there have been 7 fatal crashes in Wood County compared to 8 at this same time last year.

August is back to school month for local school districts and higher education facilities in Wood County. When traveling rural roads, please be attentive to school buses in the area picking up and dropping off the precious cargo. Watch for increased traffic in the area of school buildings and be mindful of the 20-mph school zone speed limit during restricted times.

Bowling Green State University (BGSU) will start its fall semester August 27. Wooster Street is the main thoroughfare to enter the campus and shows a high volume of crashes from 11 AM to 6 PM. Most crashes occur on Friday but with any event at BGSU, please be aware of the high volume of traffic and travel these areas with caution.

Additionally, Owens Community College will start its fall semester in August. Watch for increased traffic on Oregon Road with students entering and exiting campus. Students are encouraged to be mindful of congestion in parking lots and be aware of their surroundings. Let’s prevent the high number of crashes that occur in your parking lots.

Let’s make this back to school season the safest in history!!

For More Information:
Lt. Angel Burgos, Ohio State Highway Patrol: 419-352-2481
Sandy Wiechman, Safe Communities Coordinator: 419-372-9353 or swiechm@bgsu.edu