Hear opening remarks from our OTSO Director/emcee, greeting & welcome from our Department Director, and a plenary from our Day One Keynote Speaker.

This presentation will describe what is known about mental health, risky driving and crashes among teenage drivers. The protective effect of mindfulness and having a sense of purpose and meaning in life will also be described.

Effective traffic safety communication is more than just sharing facts – it’s about crafting messages that resonate, inspire action, and ultimately save lives. In this interactive session, participants will test their knowledge, tackle real-world communication challenges, and walk away with tools to enhance their outreach efforts.

While traffic safety efforts largely focus on preventing crashes in the first place, Post-Crash care is a valuable pillar of the Safe System Approach because it can help reduce fatalities from those crashes. This session will provide a primer on Ohio’s EMS system and how its challenges can impact the likelihood of someone surviving a serious car crash.

This session will introduce the Safe System Approach, highlighting its fundamental principles and why it’s essential in improving road safety. We will also explore how the Safe System Approach can be applied to a typical Traffic Fatality Review (TFR) and shift the focus to systemic solutions that can prevent future tragedies. Speakers will touch on current methods used in TFR, their strengths and limitations, and illustrate how the Safe System Approach can lead to more actionable and long-term safety improvements.

People 65 and older make up the fastest-growing population segment. During this session, participants will learn about important resources to improve aging driver safety, help families identify when it maybe time to give up the keys, and keep aging road users mobile after their retirement from driving.

Ohio drivers rely on their local traffic reporters for updates on their daily commute. These journalists will share insight on how they monitor traffic patterns and analyze data from various sources – all while working in the fast-paced broadcast environment – in order to present up-to-date information on TV or the radio.

The use of marijuana has been steadily rising in Ohio fatal crashes over the past decade. Join us to better understand the impact of marijuana use on Ohio’s traffic fatalities and how Ohio’s law enforcement officers are being trained to detect marijuana-impaired drivers. This session will also highlight a new program aimed at educating young drivers on the dangers of marijuana-impaired driving.

Vehicle technologies are advancing, providing better protection systems than ever before. The ongoing evolution of ADAS systems, combined with enhanced passive safety systems, significantly improves vehicle safety. Advancing both levels of safety is essential as the industry strives for zero traffic fatalities.

In this interactive session, attendees will engage in a mock fatal crash investigation, using the principles of the Safe System Approach to analyze the causes of the crash and explore strategies for prevention. By working through the crash scenario, participants will gain practical insights into how systemic factors—such as road design, vehicle safety, and human behavior—contribute to crashes and what changes can be made to reduce future risk. While attendance at the 11:00 a.m. session, "Traffic Fatality Reviews and the Safe Systems Approach," is recommended for context, it is not a requirement to participate in this session.

Experienced trial court judges and peer educations in impaired driving are taking a holistic, information-based approach to effectively address the root cause of repeat offenders. This panel will discuss a system-wide strategy to collect, retain, and access the facts that are critical to effective responses to impaired driving.

On a state or local level, it is vital to know how to navigate legislative bodies to garner support and financial backing for traffic safety initiatives. This session will explore some proven strategies to leverage the necessary assistance to achieve traffic safety goals.

Safer roads are a key element of the Safe Systems Approach. Learn the basic framework engineers use to assess and prevent serious crashes and encourage safer driving behavior through roadway design.

Whether you're in a car or on a motorcycle, the goal is the same: to get where you're going safely. But there are unique needs and challenges that come with each type of vehicle. With mutual respect and understanding, this shared space can work for all of us - making the roads safer and more cooperative.

Ohio’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor provides an update on recent legislation and case law impacting traffic safety in Ohio. Some of the topics include: Fourth Amendment issues during traffic stops, updates on oral fluid testing in OVI cases, cannabis-impaired driving cases, admissibility of blood draws and hospital records in OVI cases, and reasonable suspicion to conduct standardized field sobriety tests during OVI investigations. CPT and CLE pending.

This session will provide a deeper understanding of the epidemic of pedestrian deaths seen nationally and in Ohio as well as opportunities to address vulnerable road user safety through policy, enforcement, and the built environment. 

This session will showcase GHSA’s recent report Young Drivers and Traffic Fatalities: 20 Years of Progress on the Road to Zero, and the steps Ohio has taken to align with GHSA’s six recommended teen driver safety policies and programs. Attendees will also learn how they can take these recommendations back to their communities to help teens be safer drivers, and protect all road users.

Information is constantly emerging and broadening our understanding of distracted driving including why people engage in distractions and how to prevent it. In this session, we will share insights from a recent Ohio law enforcement survey; distracted driving analytics; and focus group research on driver attitudes.  We will also discuss how the information can be used to sharpen long-term strategies that support a “phones down” driving culture.

Law enforcement officers are on the front lines in your community, encountering all types of people every day. Your role is to enforce your state law. In this session you will learn about Ohio's CPS Law, how to spot car seat misuse, according to evidence-based best practices, and what your role is in correcting it, as well as resources available in your community to help keep all children safe in and around vehicles. This session will use the Car Seat Basics for Law Enforcement National Training developed in partnership by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Safety Council. CPT approval pending.

Just like Ohio’s communities, grants can come in all shapes and sizes. But the one thing they all have in common is that their success is reliant on the strength of the stakeholder relationships. Join us to hear different perspectives on coalition building and working with partners such as high schools and employers.

Teen drivers are the most at-risk drivers on the road, often influenced by peer pressure and social norms. This panel will explore the peer to peer concept and what captures teen drivers’ attention and motivates them to change attitudes and positive choices behind the wheel.

Grab lunch, attend a plenary from our Day Two Keynote Speaker, and hear closing remarks from our OTSO Director/emcee.