Office of Highway Safety launches new personal initiative

The Delaware Office of Highway Safety is launching a new initiative to help make roads in Delaware safer for drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

The campaign will spread across the state using a "hyperlocal" approach. The agency wants to meet people where they are in Delaware, including schools, bars and stores, to communicate more directly and personally with drivers in Delaware.

Delawareans can expect to see palm cards, yard signs and other printed material in their communities. One common message used in the campaign will be "Drive Safe Delaware. Love Your Neighbor."

The whole idea of the campaign is to reach drivers individually and personally. Community Relations Officer at OHS Meghan Niddrie said the campaign is looking to position safe driving as a shared responsibility.

"We really want to highlight that your safe driving behaviors impact not only you but your community and the people that you care about that are around you," Niddrie said. "It's about remembering that your decisions affect other people around you."

The overall goal is zero deaths on Delaware roadways, Niddrie said.

Delaware saw 162 deaths on its roads in 2022, a 19% increase from the previous year. In 2022, Delaware had the seventh-highest rate of pedestrian deaths in the country. Thirty-one pedestrians died that year. There is an urgent need for safer driving in Delaware.

Before launching the initiative, OHS held town halls to elicit feedback from people around the state while doing the necessary traffic studies to increase confidence in this new project.

The message is tailored locally by ZIP code. The campaign's messaging will be targeted in areas where there are more crashes. OHS is also working with local law enforcement and first responders to tailor and spread the initiative.

From there, OHS focuses on what type of crashes are occurring so they know what to message against. They look for areas with high rates of crashes caused by speeding and DUI specifically. The campaign's focus on DUI and speeding trends will continue through 2025, according to OHS. Other strategies will be deployed against distracted driving and for pedestrian awareness and occupant protection.

"We want it to hit home with people, instead of just, drive safe, but what about your neighbors," Niddrie said. "Think about the other people that are around you and how a crash can impact everyone."

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Office of Highway Safety launches new personal initiative