Current Projects
DRIVE SMART Virginia is committed to educating drivers in order to reduce crashes and make the roadways in Virginia safer for everyone.
Distracted driving is a huge problem throughout the country. 80% of all crashes can be attributed to some form of driver distraction. We helped develop Distracted Driving Awareness Day in Virginia to educate people about the dangers of taking their mind and eyes off the road. We speak to employees at various organizations about this problem, as well as distribute literature and information at safety fairs and other outreach events. Please visit our Distracted Driving page for more information.
Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. We have created the Drive Smart University website to provide information for teenage drivers, their parents and driver educators. Search this site for links to other websites containing information on everything from teen driving handbooks and graduated licensing laws, to video games and interactive quizzes, to statistics and fact sheets about teen driving. You'll also find products like GPS systems, educational materials and car magnets available for purchase. We have free and fee-based resources locally and nationally for teens, parents and educators.
DSV has partnered with the Department of Motor Vehicles to help roll-out the annual Click It or Ticket campaign, which reminds folks to buckle up - click it - or get a ticket. In addition to providing the marketing materials for the campaign, we also appreciate any opportunity to spread this message to the general public. We seek opportunities throughout the year, not just during the May mobilization. Occupant protection is a message and a behavior that should be discussed all year long.
As Virginia's roadways get more crowded, our four-wheel community has recognized the vast number of truckers on our roadways. Both eighteen wheelers and four wheelers report a fear of one another. It is our goal to work with all drivers on the road to help them gain an appreciation for and respect of others. We have partnered with the Federal Motor Carrier’s Association on the Be Ready Be Buckled campaign and we created the I-81 Project to educate truck drivers about the importance of wearing their safety belts. This campaign also focuses on reducing aggressive driving behaviors, sharing the road with all types of vehicles, as well as teaching passenger vehicle drivers about blind spots and the dangers of driving too close to trucks. Learn more.
As Americans are becoming more health-conscious and more environmentally-friendly, more and more people are walking, running and riding their bicycles. However, not everyone knows how to share the road safely. 84 people died walking or cycling on our Virginia roadways in 2009. In addition, 607 cyclists and 1,402 pedestrians were injured. A single death or injury is one too many. Drive Smart Virginia and Bike Walk Virginia have partnered to create Virginia Bicyclist and Pedestrian Awareness Week to educate people on roadway regulations in an effort to reduce those numbers.
The HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers is a non- profit organization dedicated to preventing drunken driving tragedies by promoting the use of safe and sober designated drivers. 42% of the car crash fatalities in Virginia last year were alcohol related. DRIVE SMART Virginia is working with the Virginia Highway Safety Office at the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association to promote the HERO Campaign. Our goal is to help people realize how easy it is have fun responsibly. We also recruit restaurants and bars to participate in the HERO Campaign and ask them to give free non-alcoholic beverages to designated drivers.
If you have a great idea that you think will reach an audience - whether it be teen, senior, minority, rural, high-risk, etc - let us know! We are always looking for new and different ways to deliver and spread our traffic safety message.