Safety Town - Northeastern ITE

TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN
SAFETY TOWN
ITE NORTHEASTERN DISTRICT MEETING
MAY 27, 2011
Lynn Weyant, Director
Traffic Safety & Streetlighting Division
Ray DiBiase, PE, PTOE
L.K. Mc Lean Associates
WHAT IS SAFETY TOWN?

Learning Center to educate 3rd and 4th Grade
Students in traffic safety for automobiles, bicycles &
pedestrians

“Hands-On Village” to provide a Learning
Environment
SAFETY TOWN CONCEPT
 Brainchild of Mansfield, Ohio Police Officer
(1937)
 Safety Town Program for pre-school children
founded in 1964
 National Safety Town Center
http://nationalsafetytown.com
NASSAU COUNTY
SAFETY TOWN
Nassau County Bicycle Accident Study
(1972-1982):
Bike Accident Involvement Rates:
–
–
1% for Safety Town graduates
13% for non-graduates
BROOKHAVEN TOWN
(Population 490,000)
2001 = 160 Total Bicycle/Pedestrian
Accidents
2002 = 139 Bicycle/Pedestrian Accidents
2003 = 124 Bicycle/Pedestrian Accidents
2009 = 47 Bicycle/Pedestrian Accidents
(estimated) in 7-15 year age group
Potential Safety Benefits
Average Accident Costs (NYSDOT, State Highways,
2009):
 Fatal Accidents--$3,265,000
 Injury Accidents--$ 96,600
Avoiding even one of 47 accidents in 7-15 year
age group per year would have significant
benefits
GOALS

Reduce accidents involving young children

Educate more than 40,000 Brookhaven elementary
age children and many others within 70 Suffolk
County school districts who could benefit from the
skills that will be taught at Safety Town

Construct a traffic safety learning center and village
where children are taught about rules regarding
pedestrians & bicyclists “sharing the road” with
motorists, in a realistic atmosphere
SAEFTY TOWN
LOCATION
Holtsville Ecology Site
SAFETY TOWN COMPONENTS
 Completed in Summer 2009
 Construction Cost—approximately $1.3 Million
 2,600 square foot classroom building
and
outdoor village
 LEED concepts incorporated in building,
including:
5.3 KW photovoltaic system
• Energy—efficient lighting and HVAC systems
•
SAFETY TOWN OVERVIEW
CLASSROOM BUILDING
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
OUTDOOR VILLAGE
 Approximately 1/3 Scale
 Battery-powered Cars
 Bikes/Helmets
 Miniature Buildings
 Traffic Signal with Pedestrian Signals and
Buttons
 Pavement Markings, including Bike Lanes
OUTDOOR VILLAGE
 Sidewalks and “Ladder” Crosswalks
 ADA Sidewalk Ramps
 Street Name and Regulatory Signs
 Dual Barrel Culvert
 Railroad Crossing, with track and working gate
OUTDOOR VILLAGE
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES
Funding Provided by…..
 Congressman Tim Bishop in Transportation
Appropriations Bill (FFY 2004)--$1,000,000
 NYSDOT Transportation Enhancements
Program--$173,500 for Equipment
 NY Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee:
Brochures, Helmets, Traffic Control Devices
• Bicycle Rodeos
• “Crash Test Dummy” Costumes
•
Funding Provided by…..
 Town Parks and Recreation Department—
reduced-scale buildings for Village
 Town Traffic Safety Division—traffic control
devices
 Town Highway Department—curbs,
pavement, drainage, twin culverts, pavement
markings, traffic signs
 Long Island Rail Road—rail crossing and gates
Brookhaven Safety Town
Needs a Mascot June 2009
Safety Sam
Safety Town is now open! Kids we need your help.
Safety Town is looking for a mascot.
Draw a picture of what you think the mascot should be,
have your parents take a digital picture and send it to
wcbstv.com/contest
for chance to win a brand new bicycle!
Winner
MASCOT VIDEO
SCHOOL PARTICIPATION
- Letters are sent to the principals of Brookhaven Town
elementary schools.
- Flyers, ads, webpage and other events on-site
- 27 Suffolk County School Districts have participated to
date
CURRICULUM:
OUTDOOR VILLAGE
One hour outdoor training
Three 20 minute sessions
- Pedestrian activity
- Bicycle riding
- Electric car driving
CLASSROOM CURRICULUM
One hour classroom training
How to be a safe pedestrian
- Use your eyes before your feet
- Seven Helpers to cross the street
- Traffic Control Devices (stop sign, traffic signal, walk/dontwalk
signal & crosswalk)
Bicycle Safety
- Helmet
- Bell, Reflectors & Light
- Mount & dismount on the right
- Ride on the right side
- Hand Signals
- Follow the rules of the road
CLASSROOM CURRICULUM
One hour classroom training (cont’d)
Using Electric Car
- Load cars rear to front
- Enter/Exit car on the right
- Single file & no bumping
- Red Pedal (go & stop)
- Hands on the steering wheel at all times
- Follow the rules of the road
ATTENDEES
• Brookhaven Safety Town
- Instruct 3rd grade children in Pedestrian and Bicycle
Safety
- Participants are given certificates
- Data base for comparison
- 27 schools and 43 Scout Troops
- 2,568 students
INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
• Nassau County Safety Town Facility Training
• New instructors are trained at our existing facility
• Use Cornell & NHTSA Safety Programs and Guidelines
ANNUAL COSTS
- Employee
costs approximately $100,000 per year
(Consists of 3 instructors and 1 substitute
instructor)
- Office supply costs approximately $1,200 per year
- Maintenance & Miscellaneous costs are covered
by grants and donations
PLAN FOR FOLLOW-UP STUDY
Similar to Nassau County Safety Town
- Request police departments and hospitals to
asked injured parties if they had attended Safety
Town
- Continue to update our database
- Review 5 year crash data for reduction in
youth pedestrian & bicycle crashes
-
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Bicycle Rodeos
- Funded by Governor’s Traffic Safety: includes
administrative time, bike helmets, staff time, and
refreshments
- Instruct Children in the fundamentals of bike
riding, helmet fitting, and bike set up
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Bicycle Rodeos (cont’d)
- Partnering with Suffolk County Police Department’s
Bike Team and Explorers, the Suffolk County Sheriffs
Department, and Allstate Insurance Co.
- Set up obstacle courses: includes intersection and
driveway awareness, sight distance, etc
- 12 bike rodeos with 1,100 children
FUTURE SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Defensive Driving 6 Hour Course
Child Passenger Safety Seat Training &
Inspection
Teen Driver Program (partnering with EAC)
etc
AWARDS
AAA (American Automobile Association)
Bronze Award
Traffic Safety Program
ACEC (American Council of Engineering Companies)
Platinum Award, Engineering Excellence
Brookhaven Children’s Safety Town
QUESTIONS????????