Safety Health Education   Delaware County Safe Communities   Safe Communities is responsible for the following programs and events:   Buckle Down Delaware Safe Driving Rodeo Drugged and Drunk Driving Awareness Month Fatality Review Committee Kids Safety Scenes Prom Promise Red Ribbon Week What’s Holding You Back? You Drink and Drive, You Lose Delaware County Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition 2009 meeting schedule  Thursday, November 19, 2009   Thursday, January 28, 2010   Thursday, March 25, 2010   Thursday, May 27, 2010   Thursday, July 29, 2010   Thursday, September 30, 2010   Thursday, November 18, 2010     The meetings will be held at 9:00 a.m. at the Delaware City Police, 70 N. Union St., Delaware, OH 43015   Fatality Review Committee meetings will be held at 10:00 am, following the coalition meetings. For additional information call the Delaware General Health District at 740-203-2083.     Safety Programming Buckle Down Delaware (Safe Driving Rodeo) According to the CDC, the leading cause of death among teenagers is motor vehicle crashes.  Over the past five years traffic volume and motor vehicle crashes in Delaware County have increased by 27 percent and 14 percent, respectively.  This has created an overwhelming and often dangerous environment for new drivers.  The purpose of the Buckle Down Delaware is to provide an interactive educational environment to help teenage drivers develop safe driving skills.  Rodeo attendees participate in a driving obstacle course, experience the effect alcohol has on motor skills with “fatal vision” goggles, learn about the blind spots associated with large trucks, and much more.             High school students learn how to control a vehicle in an emergency.       Drugged and Drunk Driving Awareness Month Since 1981, every President of the United States has demonstrated his commitment to preventing impaired driving by proclaiming December as National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month. In 2005, students at Hayes High School and Big Walnut High School watched their peers demonstrate at basketball games the effect alcohol has on motor skills by wearing “fatal vision” goggles while dribbling and passing basketballs.  A booth was also set up where information was displayed on positive decision making, how alcohol affects the brain, and how advertisers encourage youths to drink with their catchy and glamorous advertising. Prom Promise Underage drinking is a significant risk factor for teens in Delaware County. In the 2006 Delaware County Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 25 % of Delaware middle-school students surveyed reported having had a drink of alcohol other than a few sips and 21 percent of Delaware teens reported trying alcohol for the first time at the age 13 or 14 years old.  Furthermore, 13 percent of high-school students surveyed said they had drank alcohol 1 or 2 days in the past 30 days. Research has shown that alcohol affects youth differently than adults.  Because the adolescent brain is still developing, it is much more vulnerable to the long-term effects of alcohol.  Teen drinkers may suffer damage to the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with learning and memory, and the prefrontal cortex, which controls executive functions like decision-making and attention.  Environmental issues play a major role in underage drinking.  Having friends who drink, attitudes of parents toward drinking, and alcohol advertising all influence teens’ decisions.  Teens with friends who drink are much more likely to drink.  Similarly, teens whose parents are accepting of underage drinking are more likely to do so.  Recent studies have also shown that youth are overexposed to alcohol advertising in the US. These studies have shown a strong correlation between higher retention of advertising messages (such as remembering slogans) and positive attitudes toward drinking.  Source:  Price, M.A., Guerra, C., Muñoz, C.L., Salazar, C.I. (Eds.). (2004) Shattered Dreams:  A Guide for Program Planners (2nd ed.). University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, South Texas Injury Prevention and Research Center Prom Promise includes activities designed to reduce underage alcohol consumption year round but in particular around Prom.  Some activities include mock crashes.

Safety Home Safe Communities Safe Kids Calendar of Safety Events Car Seat Check Schedule Coalition Members Safety Information Contact Information Related Links Safety Focus Newsletter

About | Adult Health | Child Health | Environmental Health | Health Data | Health Education |
Birth & Death Records | News | Hot Topics | Events | Links | Home |
Notice of Privacy Practice