Columbus Chamber Blog: Columbus Business News

Top 10 New Year Resolutions for Traffic Safety

As we look forward to 2010, many of us consider what changes we want to make in our lives to be better in the New Year: better parents, spouses, employees, etc.  Have you considered what you can do (or continue to do) to be a better driver?  Robert Wakefield, Special Projects Coordinator for the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, whose mission it is to save lives and reduce injuries on Ohio's Roadways, suggests you add these 10 things to your list of resolutions.

Top 10 New Year Resolutions for Traffic Safety

10. To yield to pedestrians.
9.  To slow down and move over when approaching an emergency vehicle on the side of the road.
8.  To give myself plenty of distance between me and the vehicle in front of me.
7.  To give myself plenty of time and not to rush.
6.  To be courteous to other drivers and to use my turn signals.
5.  To use my common sense by paying attention when I drive and to drive responsibly.
4.  To never drink and drive.
3.  To not let others drink and drive.
2.  To make sure everyone in my vehicle is buckled up.
1.  To always wear my seat belt.

Share these top 10 New Years Resolutions with your friends, family and others in your community.  By following these 10 resolutions, we can save lives and reduce injuries on Ohio's roadways.

TRAFFIC SAFETY WEB SITES TO ASSIST YOU DURING THE UPCOMING YEAR

• The Ohio Department of Public Safety http://publicsafety.ohio.gov/  
• The Ohio Traffic Safety Office http://publicsafety.ohio.gov/  
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/  
• The Federal Highway Administration http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/  

2009/2010 OHIO TRAFFIC SAFETY OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS CALENDAR
When is Child Passenger Safety Week in 2010.   How about motorcycle awareness month?  And let's not forget the "Click It or Ticket" and "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest." national mobilizations.  You can find these important dates along with others on the Communications Calendar posted on the OTSO Web site at: http://ohiohighwaysafetyoffice.ohio.gov/2009_2010_OTSOCalendar.xls

STATE CRASH MAP - 2008 vs. 2009 Year-to-Date Fatality Comparison The map at the following link illustrates a 2008 vs. 2009 year-to-date fatality comparison for each county. Click on an individual county to view its three-year fatal crash history. http://statepatrol.ohio.gov/fatal_comp.stm  

The Columbus Chamber wishes you and yours the very best for a happy, healthy and safe New Year!

How to Be Prepared for Upcoming H1N1 & Flu Season

Greetings!  As you know, we are moving into flu season.  To help inform people in our community about seasonal flu and H1N1, the health departments of the City of Columbus and Franklin County are working together to provide information on how to stay healthy and how to minimize exposure this flu season.  They have asked the Columbus Chamber to be a communication conduit to the business community.

It’s a good idea to encourage your employees to practice good hygiene and good sense to keep the people around them healthy.  Children and pregnant women need to take extra precautions.  Here are some basics FOR INDIVIDUALS:

• Get vaccinated with both seasonal flu (immediately) and H1N1 (when available); I got my seasonal last night at CVS’s minute clinic
• Wash hands REGULARLY and THOROUGHLY; keep antibacterial liquid close at hand
• Avoid shaking hands and exchanging kisses; fist bumps and elbow knocks are popular substitutes
• Exhibit “cough etiquette” (coughing/sneezing into one’s sleeve, rather than using hands to cover one’s mouth)

As a business owner, you are encouraged to plan for the worst and hope for the best…in the event that one or more of your employees is forced to work remotely.  Here are some basics FOR EMPLOYERS:

• Put a plan in place now that will allow your business to continue operations, with as little disruption as possible, if one or more of your employees is impacted (this includes things like cross-training employees, instituting emergency notifications numbers, etc.)
• Encourage workers who have flu-like symptoms (especially fever) to stay home and not come to work until at least 24 hours after their fever has resolved.  CHILDREN WITH FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS (INCLUDING FEVER) SHOULD BE KEPT HOME AND NOT RETURNED TO SCHOOL/DAYCARE FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS AFTER THE FEVER HAS SUBSIDED.   (Again, put procedures in place to allow employees to continue working even in they are hope with a sick child.)
• Locate hand sanitizer throughout your workplace as well as tissues, no-touch trash cans, hand soap, etc.  Disinfectant and disposable towels should be available for workers to clean their work surfaces.

Here are some resources for you to help your business prepare and to help your employees stay healthy and minimize exposure:

• Recent story from WOSU titled, “Central Ohio Business Organizations Brace For Tough Flu Season”.
• Link directly to information about seasonal and pandemic flu specific to Columbus and Franklin County:  http://www.columbuspandemicflu.org/index.html.
• Link to the Center for Disease Control’s website, which is where you can sign up for email and text alerts about seasonal and H1N1 from a national perspctive: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/

In continued good health!

 

Share Your Feedback - 3C Rail Plan Survey

Please take a few minutes to give ODOT your feedback on the 3C rail plan. This site also offers information on the 3C planning that is currently underway to connect Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati.  Ohio is applying for up to $400m from the Federal Government for a 1 time grant to fund this project.  Public input is important in this major competition.  Ohio is one of over 280 applications from 40 states. 

 

There will be a Columbus Town Hall Meeting on Sept. 15 at 4:00 p.m. at the King Arts Complex.