In this issue:

• Vehicle Safety Recalls Week is March 3-9, 2025
• Winter Fire School Crash Rescue Practice
• Saint Patrick's Day: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving
• Safe Ride Home Saint Patrick's Day 2025
• Oregon Impact Toolbox
• Upcoming Events

View as Webpage

Vehicle Safety Recalls Week

March 3-9, 2025

① Checking for vehicle safety recalls is easy — visit NHTSA.gov/Recalls or download the SaferCar app: NHTSA.gov/App.

② DID YOU KNOW❓ There are millions of vehicles on the road with potentially life-threatening safety recalls — yet 25% of them are never repaired. Stay informed about YOUR car: NHTSA.gov/Recalls.

③ TWO is better than ONE! 🙌 Now there’s another way to check for vehicle safety recalls: use your VIN OR license plate to search for your car here: NHTSA.gov/Recalls. 🚘 🔧

④ Don’t wait for something bad to happen before you check for vehicle safety recalls. 🚘 🔧Stay ahead of a potential problem — download the SaferCar app and get started: NHTSA.gov/App.

⑤ If your car has a recall, get it fixed! 🧰 Vehicle safety recalls are FREE to repair — and you could save a life.



Winter Fire School

Crash Rescue Practice

This exercise was part of the 20^th annual Winter Fire School, a free event hosted February 22-23 by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem. 

The vehicle extrication course, led by the Dallas Fire & EMS Department, offered valuable experience in safely removing crash victims from wrecked vehicles using cars placed in positions to simulate real-life crash scenes.

St. Patrick's Day:

Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving

⫸ Drunk driving is illegal and deadly. Nationally, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher, except in Utah, where the limit is .05 g/dL.

⫸ Even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability.

⫸ The financial impact from impaired-driving crashes is devastating. Crashes in which alcohol was the cause resulted in $57 billion in economic costs.

⫸ Drinking and driving is a risk no one should take. Doing so can cause injury or death to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. The consequences of drunk driving could be life-altering.

☘️ There were 290 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holidays 6 p.m. March 16 – 5:59 a.m. March 18) between 2018-2022. During the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day holiday, 74 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.

☘️ Drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a higher rate (29%) during the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day holiday compared to female drivers (14%).

☘️ Young drivers ages 21-34 accounted for the highest percentage (34%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes during the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

☘️ Nighttime driving during the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day holiday was significantly more dangerous than daytime driving, with 38% of drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. being drunk. Almost half (47%) of drivers involved in fatal crashes between the hours of midnight and 2:59 a.m. were drunk.

☘️ The rate of drunk passenger car drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes during the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day holiday were 34% and 41%, respectively. 

Safe Ride Home

☘️ Safe Ride Home: Get up to $20 off a taxi ride with a paper coupon or $10 off an Uber or Lyft ride with a digital coupon for rides starting in Portland city limits. Valid dates are Friday, March 14th through Monday, March 17th. Valid times are 6pm through 2:30 am each day. While supplies last.

The City of Portland wants you to get home safely from your Saint Patrick's Day celebrations. We are providing a limited number of coupons for discounted rides in a taxi, Uber, or Lyft for you to use to get home after celebrating.

Safe Ride Home coupons are valid for rides starting in Portland city limits on the following dates and times:

• Friday, March 14, 2025 6 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
• Saturday, March 15, 2025 6 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
• Sunday, March 16, 2025 6:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
• Monday, March 17, 2025 6:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

☘️ Uber and Lyft Coupons:

To get $10 off one Lyft ride in Portland, come back on March 14th to download a coupon.   

Paper coupons for up to $20 of a taxi trip will be available at Kells Portland Irish Festival on the waterfront. You can download an Uber or Lyft coupon here beginning March 14th.   

☘️ Taxi Coupons:

Visit Kells Portland Irish Festival on the waterfront March 14th through March 17th and ask an employee for a taxi coupon good for up to $20 off one ride. 

a

☘️ Ride safe with TriMet and Portland Streetcar:

Hop on the Portland Streetcar, MAX Train or a TriMet Bus and arrive safely.  

Oregon Impact Toolbox:

Tools You Can Use

Oregon Impact has a variety of impairment goggles, often referred to as "drunk goggles" — powerful tools designed to simulate the effects of various impairments, such as alcohol or drug intoxication or drowsiness, by distorting vision, balance, and perception, these goggles offer a safe and eye-opening way to understand the challenges and risks associated with impaired functioning.

Here are some easy ways to use them in your community:

1. Educational Campaigns

Impairment goggles are widely used in schools, community events, and workplaces to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence. By attempting to perform simple tasks while wearing the goggles, participants gain insight into the risks associated with impairment.

2. Workplace Safety Programs

Industries that rely on heavy machinery or driving use these goggles to stress the importance of being sober and alert on the job.

Common activities with impairment goggles include:

• Walking a straight line
• Catching or tossing a ball
• Navigating an obstacle course
• Driving simulators to illustrate the risks of impaired driving

These hands-on experiences often leave a lasting impression, reinforcing the importance of staying sober and focused in critical situations.

The Bottom Line

Impairment goggles are more than just a learning tool; they are a conversation starter. By giving people a glimpse into what it feels like to be impaired, they inspire individuals to think twice about their actions and the consequences. Whether it’s for educational programs or professional training, impairment goggles are an innovative way to promote safety and awareness in our communities.

All our goggles are available for your use at no charge. Please reach out to Anna at anna@oregonimpact.org for reservations.

Remember: The safest choice is to always stay clear-headed, whether on the road or in daily life.



Upcoming Events

• April: National Distracted Driving Awareness Month
• May: National Youth Traffic Safety Month
• June: Bike to Work Day

Drive Sober, Safe, and Happy!

from your

Friends at Oregon Impact