Tracks

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY

Fall/Winter 2009 State of California • Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Business, Transportation and Housing Agency • Secretary Dale E. Bonner
Office of Traffic Safety • Director Christopher J. Murphy

A Step Closer “Toward Zero Deaths”

W ith the statistical wrap-up for 2008 all but done,
last year looks to have solidified a definite trend
toward safer streets, with real movement on the


2005
Alcohol Impaired Total
Fatalities
1,298
Fatalities
4,333
DUI
Arrests
180,288
way to realization of the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) 2006 1,272 4,236 197,248
vision statement – “Toward zero deaths, every 1 counts.” 2007 1,132 3,995 203,866
For the third year in a row, DUI deaths declined in 2008 1,029 3,434 214,811
California. The drop was 9.1 percent, from 1,132 in In addition, traffic fatalities declined by 14 percent,
2007 to 1,029 in 2008, according to the National from 3,995 in 2007 to 3,434 in 2008. Total fatalities are
Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 2008 figure at their lowest since 1975, when the federal government
marks a total decrease of nearly 21 percent from the began compiling figures. The 214,811 DUI arrests are
most recent high point in 2005. Alcohol impaired deaths at their highest point in fifteen years. Overall seat belt
make up the largest category of overall vehicle fatalities.

2010 – Year of the Top 50 DUI Cities Accept

Checkpoint Checkpoint Challenge
Table of Contents
I
Record Funding Allocated to DUI Checkpoints
mpaired driving and

O n December 17, the Office of Traffic Safety Message from Director . . . . . . . 2

DUI enforcement is a
(OTS) will announce during the Holiday DUI top priority for the Pedestrian Safety Trainings Make
Communities Safer . . . . . . . . . 2
Crackdown press conference that a record $8 Office of Traffic Safety CA Law Enforcement Challenge
million has been allocated to law enforcement to (OTS), and the results are Winners Announced . . . . . . . . . 3
conduct DUI checkpoints in 2010. OTS will fund paying off. Since 2005, OTS Awards $3 Million for Next
more than 2,500 checkpoints in 2010, a record for alcohol impaired fatalities in Generation Click It or Ticket . . . . 4
California. California have dropped a 4 Steps for Kids . . . . . . . . . . . 4

staggering 20.1 percent. OTS and Sacramento Kings Flip the

The funding, Chip Partnership Has Rewards . . 5
To keep the pressure on,
through the Grantees Sharing the Road . . . . . 5
OTS is embarking upon
National El Cerrito Bike Patrol Gets the
the most aggressive DUI Job Done . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Highway enforcement program ever, TSRP Program Expands Law
Traffic Safety with the “Top 50 DUI Enforcement Training . . . . . . . . 7
Cities” being targeted for Pedestrian Safety Assessment
Program Takes Statewide Honor . . 8
See ‘2010’ Page 6 See ‘Top 50 DUI Cities,’ Page 6
OTS Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Message from the Director by Christopher J. Murphy

I t seems hard to believe, but

the majority of 2009 is already
behind us, with winter holiday
gains. To that end, OTS awarded particularly
excited about
$3 million in mini grant funding to
158 agencies for occupant protection
upcoming
travel fast approaching. Millions of plans to target
enforcement. Law enforcement is hit-
Californians are expected to hit the ting the roads November 17-30 California’s
roads in November and December. “Top 50 DUI Cities” with even more
as part of Next Generation Click It
For the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) or Ticket. sobriety checkpoints – bringing the
and hundreds of grantees across the 2010 total to over 2,500, the most
state, that means continued planning On the DUI front, OTS has increased ever. We are also continuing the Every
for 2010 while at the same time funding from $5 million to $8 million 15 Minutes Program, Real DUI Trials
mounting multiple campaigns and in 2010 for sobriety checkpoints. We and Department of Alcoholic Bever-
enforcement mobilizations focusing have 41 regional ‘Avoid’ DUI task age Control’s Minor Decoy Training
on occupant protection and DUI. forces, more than 150 local agencies, program, among many others.
and the California Highway Patrol
After a great deal of hard work across conducting more than 300 sobriety As the holiday season draws near and
many fronts, California was fortunate checkpoints over 18 days in December you make plans to see family and
to see our seat belt use rate increase as part of the 2009 Holiday DUI cam- friends and celebrate with colleagues,
in recent years. However, with the paign, Report Drunk Drivers. Call 911. I ask you to remind those around
current rate dipping slightly from you to Buckle Up and Report Drunk
95.7 percent in 2008 to 95.3 percent I am confident these efforts, along Drivers. Call 911.
in 2009, we must redouble our with many other programs, will help
efforts to hold onto those previous us maintain our recent successes. I’m Happy Holidays. l

Pedestrian Safety Trainings Make

Communities Safer ­ tate of California
S
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor

Business, Transportation

I
n an effort to help make safety trainings are taking place and Housing Agency
Dale E. Bonner, Secretary
communities a safer place to in high risk areas throughout
walk, a series of 12 pedestrian California. The program, funded by Office of Traffic Safety
Christopher J. Murphy, Director
a grant from the Office of Traffic Chris Cochran, Editor
Safety, has already conducted
OTS Tracks is a newsletter published
trainings in Glendale, Santa Ana, by the Office of Traffic Safety. Content and
Delano, Stockton, and the Crenshaw editorial control is maintained solely by the
district in Los Angeles, with trainings Office of Traffic Safety.

planned in Santa Barbara and Story submissions will be accepted two

Eureka for later this year and into months prior to publication. Please call
2010. Other possible cities include Chris Cochran at (916) 509-3063 for
Oakland, Salinas, Watsonville, more information.

Laguna Beach and Long Beach. http://www.ots.ca.gov

Children lead the “Children Walking. Drive

Safely” campaign at Walk to School Day “Training locations are determined
in Santa Ana, championed by Santa Ana OTS Tracks
Unified School District Superintendent Jane
by areas demonstrating the greatest Volume 24, Issue 2
Russo and Dr. Audrey Yamagata-Noji, Ph. D., need where we believe the greatest Fall/Winter 2009
Clerk of Santa Ana Unified School Board.
HEAC Santa Ana photo by Kelly Broberg.

2
CA Law Enforcement Challenge Winners Announced
T he California Highway Patrol (CHP) recently
announced the winners of the 2008 California Law
Enforcement Challenge (CLEC). CLEC is a
contributions to traffic safety. It recognizes and rewards
the best overall traffic safety programs in California, with
areas of concentration including efforts to enforce laws
competition between similar sizes and types of law and educate the public about occupant protection,
enforcement agencies which recognizes the valuable impaired driving and speeding.

First place allied agency winners included: First place winners in the CHP
1-15 Sworn Cloverdale Police Department competition included:
16-25 Sworn Norco/Riverside County Sheriff’s Department 1-19 Sworn CHP San Andreas
26-50 Sworn El Cerrito Police Department 20-23 Sworn CHP Buellton
51-70 Sworn Petaluma Police Department 24-26 Sworn CHP Chico
71-85 Sworn Napa Police Department 27-33 Sworn CHP Auburn
86-105 Sworn Livermore Police Department 34-50 Sworn CHP Santa Barbara
106-160 Sworn Roseville Police Department 51-65 Sworn CHP Westminster
161-250 Sworn Oxnard Police Department 66-100 Sworn CHP Baldwin Park
251-500 Sworn Riverside Police Department 101+ Sworn CHP El Cajon
501-2000 Sworn San Jose Police Department California’s Law Enforcement
2000+ Los Angeles City Police Department Challenge is modeled after the
National Law Enforcement Challenge
Special awards included: Program and is funded by a grant from
Multi-Jurisdictional Avoid the 12 – Santa Barbara County the Office of Traffic Safety to the CHP.
Colleges/Universities California State University, A complete listing of award winners
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and list of past winners is available
Commissioner’s Award Napa Police Department & CHP Auburn at www.chp.ca.gov. For additional
Impaired Driving Petaluma Police Department & CHP Quincy program
Underage Alcohol Bakersfield Police Department & information,
CHP Moorpark contact
Sergeant
Child Passenger Safety Livermore Police Department & CHP San Jose
Stacy Barr or
Speed Awareness Ontario Police Department & CHP San Jose Officer
Bicycle/Pedestrian San Francisco Police Department Tony Yao at
Technology Award Ripon Police Department (916) 657-2777 or via email
First-Time Entry Lake Elsinore Police Department at [email protected] or
Commercial Vehicle El Cerrito Police Department [email protected]. l

‘Pedestrian Safety,’ from Page 2

impact can be made,” said Jill pedestrian safety and seeking to the training, participants take away
Cooper, Assistant Director of UC identify strategies for improving it.  a set of pedestrian safety priorities
Berkeley’s Traffic Safety Center, who and an action plan for next steps
administers the program.  The training teaches basic pedestrian to promote safe walking in the
safety best practices, walkability community.
The half day training is aimed at assessment of a selected pedestrian
local neighborhood residents and danger area, and mapping or other For more information about the
safety advocates concerned about small group interactive prioritization program, contact Marilyn Sabin at
of safety issues. At the conclusion of (916) 971-3166. l

3
 OTS Awards $3 Million for
Next Generation Click It or Ticket
Click It or Ticket will begin with a presence throughout the year, we
highly publicized seat belt mobilization hope to get the message across to
November 17-30, overlapping with all motorists in California that seat
the peak Thanksgiving holiday travel belts are mandatory for drivers and
period, with a second mobilization passengers, without question.”
scheduled for May 24-June 6, 2010.
California’s 2009 seat belt use
To promote nighttime seat belt rate is 95.3 percent, down slightly
use, mini-grantees will conduct at from 95.7 percent in 2008. The
Ticket $132 least one nighttime enforcement National Highway Traffic Safety
operation in each mobilization Administration (NHTSA) estimates
period, in addition to intensified that 1,424 Californian lives were

O TS recently awarded monthly enforcement efforts during saved at the current seat belt use rate
$3 million to 158 agencies daytime or nighttime hours. last year.
for the 2009-2010 Next
Generation Click It or Ticket seat belt “Our goal is to reach a seat belt Free Click It or Ticket campaign
enforcement campaign. This includes use rate of 96 percent in 2010,” materials, including posters, window
68 more agencies than participated said Office of Traffic Safety clings and magnetic bumper stickers
in the mini-grant program in Director Christopher Murphy. “By can be ordered online at http://www.
2008-2009. maintaining a sustained enforcement trafficsafetypromos.com/ciot/. l

4 Steps for Kids

Safe Kids coalitions and advocacy groups throughout the state participated
in the 2009 Child Passenger Safety Week (CPSW) observance in September
with free car seat checks throughout California, beginning with Seat Check
Saturday on September 12.

The 2009 CPSW campaign promoted the ‘4 Steps for Kids’ guidelines to help
parents know when to graduate their child from a rear-facing infant seat, to a
convertible seat, to a booster and finally to a seat belt at the proper time.

“It’s important for parents to take advantage of the child safety seat checks
available throughout the state, both as part of Child Passenger Safety Week
and all year long,” said Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher Murphy.
“The safety seat must fit right to work right. That means the right seat for
the right child in the right vehicle. The most important thing a parent can
do is to make sure their child rides properly restrained on every trip.”

California’s 2009 child safety seat use rate is 91.1 percent, down from 94.4
percent in 2008. Estimates from NHTSA indicate that 33 children age four
and under were saved in California in 2008 by being properly restrained in a Free car seat checks were held throughout
California as part of Child Passenger Safety
child safety seat. l Week September 12-19.

4
OTS and Sacramento Kings Flip the Chip
Partnership Has Rewards
T he Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), in partnership
with the National Basketball Association’s
Sacramento Kings, recently launched the Flip the
Chip anti-DUI campaign at the beginning of the Kings
2009 season in October. The promotion is scheduled
to run through April 2010. OTS and the Sacramento
Kings worked closely to create the Flip the Chip campaign driver for the night before they begin drinking. Patrons
look and feel, aimed at encouraging fans to think about will find table tents on bar tops, reminding designated
how they will get home safely before going out.  drivers that “being the sober driver has its rewards.”
Designated drivers will keep the Kings chip to register
“We wanted this campaign to be fun, while making online for a chance to win various Kings prizes. Bars
fans stop to think about the consequences of their with the highest registration of chips will be eligible to
actions,” said OTS Assistant Director for Marketing and win special Kings viewing parties.
Public Affairs, Chris Cochran. “The Kings brand will
help OTS reach fans and deliver the Designate a Sober “A DUI arrest can cost more than $10,000 in fines, or
Driver message in a social setting.” worse, a life,” said Cochran. “We’re hopeful that the Flip
the Chip campaign will send the message that neither is
Fifty local sports bars in the greater Sacramento area a choice anyone can afford.”
are helping encourage fans to designate a sober driver
and watch Kings games responsibly. Kings fans flip the Visit Kings.com/flip to learn more about the promotion,
special “chip” to determine who will be the designated prizes and local viewing parties. l

Grantees Sharing the Road

OTS has made a lot of connections from across the county. Since Azusa
possible over the years _ state, federal P.D. never seemed to make the
and local agencies; law enforcement, county traffic meetings, Wendy
courts, and probation; and multiple good naturedly bugged their Traffic
law enforcement agencies within Corporal, Dean Brewer.
counties connecting as partners in the
Avoid DUI Taskforce program. At the meeting where Brewer finally
showed up, Wendy inadvertently
It’s that last one that has had one ignored him, repeatedly, even when
positive side effect that we never she had to reach past him to greet a Glendora Police Department Community
Services Officer, Wendy Soos, and Azusa
planned for – matchmaker. friend.  When she later admonished Police Department Traffic Corporal Dean
Brewer, will marry in November.
Dean for his absence again, he let her
Glendora Police Department know that not only had she missed she also invited him to lunch. Now,
Community Service Officer Wendy him standing directly in front of her, from that combination of working
Soos has had her hands full during he had crashed his motorcycle on the on Avoid and the public snubbing,
the past couple of years coordinating way home, making it a very bad day. the end product is a wedding this
the Los Angeles County Avoid November.
the 100 program. As such, she has Obviously, apologies were in order,
worked closely with traffic supervisors so when Wendy called to offer hers, Congratulations Wendy and Dean! l

5
El Cerrito Bike Patrol Gets the Job Done
D rivers generally know when they’re doing
something wrong, like speeding or running a red
light. They’re used to being on the lookout for
the flashing lights or sirens, but how about a bicycle?

The El Cerrito Police Department in the Bay Area

has effectively been using bicycle officers since 1998,
most recently for enforcement operations including the
Shoulder Tap alcohol enforcement campaign, Click It
or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization and even
commercial vehicles and car pool lane violations.

“You should see the look on the astonished faces of

the drivers who violate the car pool lane when they
Officers from El Cerrito’s Bicycle Patrol Program actively
realize an officer on a bicycle has issued a citation,” said participate in the Department’s DUI checkpoints on a regular basis.
Sergeant Steve Bonini with El Cerrito’s Traffic Safety
Unit. “It is also a sight to behold when a bicycle officer checkpoint and can catch the violator much faster since
stops a big rig and issues a citation for a log book, over they can weave in and out of traffic with ease.
length and weight citations.”
A goal is to have every patrol officer bicycle qualified.
El Cerrito has found that bicycle officers have the distinct The Department has started a regional training program
advantage of being able to complete traffic stops and in Contra Costa County, training nearly 25 officers from
issue citations much quicker than officers in patrol cars. outside departments.
Last year alone, bike officers issued nearly 500 citations
and made more than 40 felony/misdemeanor arrests. For information, contact Sgt. Steve Bonini, Traffic Safety
Bike officers also help with vehicles fleeing the scene of a Unit at (510) 215-4435 or [email protected]. l

‘2010,’ from Page 1 ‘Top 50 DUI Cities,’ from Page 1

Administration, is up from the $5 million allocated additional sobriety checkpoints in the coming year.
in 2009, while the number of checkpoints is up 47
percent from the 1,700 this year. The increased effort In FFY 2009, the number of OTS-funded DUI
will be seen across the board, including local law checkpoints in these “Top 50 DUI Cities” topped out
enforcement, Avoid DUI Taskforces and the CHP. at 605. With increased funding, that number is expected
to hit 975 in 2010, an increase of over 60 percent. The
“To my knowledge, California conducts more number of all OTS-funded checkpoints statewide will be
checkpoints than any other state,” said OTS Director increasing 47 percent from roughly 1,700 in 2009 to over
Christopher Murphy. “DUI checkpoints are time-tested 2,500 next year.
and proven as the most effective DUI countermeasure.” “We’ve seen a tremendous commitment to DUI
enforcement by law enforcement agencies in California,”
Ever since OTS and law enforcement began placing said OTS Director Christopher Murphy. “Other states
increased emphasis and funding toward DUI can’t get law enforcement to do enough, let alone more.
checkpoints in 2006, deaths have declined. All the The response in California has been just the opposite,
research points to DUI checkpoints as a major speaking volumes of the relationship our OTS staff has
contributor to declines. When checkpoints are with law enforcement and the commitment by law
mounted effectively and regularly, studies have shown enforcement to DUI.” l
up to 25 percent declines in alcohol related deaths
and injuries. l

6
‘A Step Closer,’ from Page 1

usage remains over 95 percent, one of deaths is indeed heartening,” said attack the drunk driver problem, from
the highest in the nation. California Highway Patrol increases in youth public awareness
Commissioner Joe Farrow. “The programs to hospital and jail based
“With this third year of declines decrease in lives pointlessly lost can intervention programs to expanding
in DUI deaths, we can truly call be traced back to hard, innovative prosecution and probation efforts.
it a trend, a trend of life saving work in education, enforcement,
importance,” said Christopher engineering and emergency medical For over two years California state,
Murphy, Director of the California services. Our primary objective county, and local governments, as
Office of Traffic Safety. “Law remains to continue this trend and well as numerous advocate groups,
enforcement, state and local agencies, have more people make it home safe businesses, community organizations
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and alive each day.” and individuals, have been actively
other safety advocates, and the people pursuing work on over 150 specific
of California have come together to Murphy points to increases in DUI actions contained within the
address this deadly problem and are checkpoints, the 41 county ‘Avoid’ California Strategic Highway Safety
now seeing the results. As positive DUI Taskforces program, the Report Plan. The Plan is an unprecedented
as these figures are, though, we can Drunk Drivers. Call 911 campaign, collaboration of those working across
never let up until we achieve our goal and the operations of over 450 law the entire spectrum of traffic safety,
of zero deaths.” enforcement agencies as being with the goal of significantly reducing
particularly beneficial. Many different deaths, injuries and economic losses
“This significant decline in traffic tactics have been used recently to resulting from traffic safety crashes. l

TSRP Program Expands Law Enforcement Training

T he Traffic Safety Resource
Prosecutor (TSRP) Program,
funded by the Office of
other’s roles and responsibilities, as
well as fostering teamwork.
promotes dialogue between police
and prosecutors, and that leads
to better cases being presented to
Traffic Safety, provides training in Recent training topics have included juries.”
evaluation and prosecution of DUI Courtroom Testimony for Officers,
and vehicular homicide cases. Each Documenting Impairment, and Seminar attendees agree on the value
year the TSRP training calendar has Effective Report Writing. Coastal of joint training. “Putting cops and
expanded to include more training Region TSRP Stephen Wagner prosecutors in the same room together
opportunities statewide and also to explains, “Sharing the prosecution’s is genius,” commented Traffic
provide education on a variety of playbook with law enforcement and Investigator Mark Fullen of the
topics related to prosecution. But, allowing them to learn the high Oceanside Police Department who
every successful prosecution depends standard to which juries hold us attended the Vehicular Homicide
on an effective investigation. What is a very valuable focal point in Seminar this past June in San Diego.
about training for law enforcement? trainings.”
To date, TSRP has trained over 1,600
Under the guidance of program TSRP prosecutor Dave Radford, prosecutors and law enforcement
director Creg Datig, TSRP has himself a retired police captain, finds officers throughout California.
expanded its training program to tremendous value in training law If you are interested in scheduling
include the law enforcement enforcement and prosecutors together. training through TSRP for your
community. Bringing prosecutors “Even while working on the same agency, please contact TSRP Training
and police together for training case, there often isn’t enough Coordinator Paige D’Angelo at
provides an environment that allows interaction,” says Radford. “Training (916) 443-2017. l
for greater understanding of each provided by the TSRP Program

7
Pedestrian Safety Assessment Program Takes Statewide Honor
T he California Pedestrian Safety Assessment (PSA)
program, funded by the Office of Traffic Safety,
recently won the American Planning Association
Award from the Institute of Transportation Engineers
(ITE). Upon request, two pedestrian safety experts will
visit your city to review pedestrian conditions and to
(APA) California 2009 Best Practices Award. This award discuss concerns of your city. The experts analyze relevant
honors innovative projects that serve as statewide models. data, perform field observations, meet with key staff, and
The PSA program is now under consideration for a recommend improvement measures and strategies. For
National APA award, which will be announced later this more information on this free service, please visit:  
year. The PSA program also received the Best Program http://www.techtransfer.berkeley.edu/pedsafety/. l

california office of traffic safety

what’s
Nov 17-30
Next Generation Click It or Ticket California Mobilization
http://www.tsc.berkeley.edu/

Nov 29-Dec 11 Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving National Crackdown

http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/

ahead
Dec 18-Jan 3 Report Drunk Drivers. Call 911 California Mobilization
Contact: Wayne Ziese, (916) 509-3023, [email protected]

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