In this issue:

• Super Bowl Sunday: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk
• Car Seat Safety – Ditch the Puffy Coat
• No More Funny Signs? Not Necessarily
• Upcoming Events

View as Webpage

You are the quarterback for the night – people are counting on you, so take your job seriously. Enjoy the food and non-alcoholic drinks and remember to stay away from other drugs too.



If you see someone who has been drinking and tries to drive, don’t hesitate to throw a flag! Take their keys and help them get a sober ride home. They might not be happy about it, but they will be grateful later.

Make your plan before the party starts. Arrange for a sober driver, someone who will not drink at all and will get you home safe at the end of the night.

Remember that it is not only illegal to drive drunk, but also dangerous. Even a BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) of .02 -- one quarter of the legal limit – can impair your concentration and visual ability.

If your designated driver unexpectedly does drink, have a backup plan. Call a sober friend, taxi, or rideshare service.

For the Host

Superbowl Sunday is one of the biggest days of the year for home parties with family and friends. Be sure all your guests have a designated driver planned.

Encourage your drinking guests to pace themselves, eat food, and drink plenty of water. Serve a selection of non-alcoholic drinks.

Do not serve alcohol to minors. It is illegal, and hosts who serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 21 could face jail time. Furthermore, if an underage person drinks and drives, the person who provided the alcohol can be held liable for any injury, damage or death caused by the underage driver.

Local law enforcement agencies are focusing on seat belt and child restraint enforcement in February!

Buckle up and buckle in!

Ditch the Puffy Coat!

Puffy coats are a popular and trendy way to keep warm during these chilly winter months. However, they can put kids in car seats at risk. The puffy material can lead you to think that a car seat harness is properly fastened, when in fact it is still loose.

The effect is described by Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) researcher Jessica Jermakian, quoted in an article on Jalopnik:

“On a very small body, that can mean, at best, more forces on the child during a crash when the harness compresses the puffy coat and finally engages with the child’s shoulders and hips or, at worst, causes the harness to slip off the shoulders which means the top part of the body isn’t well restrained.”

This can also happen with adult seat belts – the puffy material can fool you into thinking your seat belt is good and snug when it is not. To make sure both adult and child restraint systems are most effective, avoid puffy coats while buckled up or buckled in. For kids, you can buckle them in with a lightweight jacket and a blanket over the top. For adults, make use of your car’s heater.

No More Funny Signs?

Not Necessarily.

In early January, many news outlets were reporting that the Federal Highway Administration was banning funny messages on highway signs – such as the one shown above, seen near Medford in 2017. The uproar was big enough that the agency had to issue a clarification.

As reported by National Public Radio (NPR), the FHA has issued a new rule which gives states two years to phase out signs that have "obscure" meanings or use pop-culture references that could require drivers "greater time to process." The additional statement made it clear the new rule does not "include a ban on humor or pop culture references.... Rather, it includes a recommendation to avoid the use of humor and pop culture references because it may confuse or distract drivers."

Several states have already made it clear they will not get rid of more creative messaging, believing that these signs are more memorable and therefore important in fostering awareness and a better safety culture.

A few examples of such signs:

• “Drink & drive? Meet police and see new bars.” (Minnesota)
• “That’s the temperature, not the speed limit.” (Nevada)
• “Use yah blinkah.” (Massachusetts)
• “Drive like your momma is watchin’.” (Georgia)

Upcoming Events: Are You Prepared?

Drive Sober, Safe, and Happy!

from your

Friends at Oregon Impact