4/13/2023 UPDATES:
- Workshop rooms have been added to the agenda below.
- Coffee will be served in the Ballroom Foyer beginning at 7:30am Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
- Registration will be located in the King's Garden 2/3 on Monday only. Registration will be located in the Ballroom Forum Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
Please join us for the 2023 PA Highway Safety Conference, April 18-20, 2023. We will be meeting at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown. Workshop sessions will cover a wide variety of topics including officer safety, traffic safety case law, liquor laws, medical marijuana, behavioral modification techniques, unique partnerships, media communication, education, and enforcement collaborative methods, and much more.
Hotel reservation, parking, and grantee reimbursement information are located on the "Get There" page.
**A formal agenda will be provided to registered participants prior to the conference**
2023 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)
**Please continue to check back for updates**
MONDAY, APRIL 17
3:30 – 5:00 pm Meet the HSO Networking and Registration - King's Garden 2/3 (Ballroom Level)
The registration table will be open, and the Highway Safety Office Staff will be available to welcome our attendees to the 2023 PA Traffic Safety Conference. Stop by to check in to the conference, meet the new HSO staff, and catch up with the staff you already know! Stick around to network with other attendees before settling in or heading out for the evening.
TUESDAY, APRIL 18
Registration Table will be open from 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Breakfast on your own
9:00 - 10:30 OPENING SESSION
The Road Ahead - King's Garden 4/5 (Ballroom Level)
Presenters: Troy Love - PennDOT; Shannon Hughes - NHTSA
Panelists: Jonathan Adkins - GHSA; Chris Lengle - Highway Safety Network; Barbara Zortman - Center for Traffic Safety
Moderator: Doug Tomlinson
Highway Safety has changed in so many ways since the last in-person Traffic Safety Conference in 2019. PennDOT and NHTSA will discuss the challenges we have seen and the plan to put those negative trends in our rearview mirror.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing new opportunities for Pennsylvania to address emerging trends and needs. Pennsylvania is committed to proactive and comprehensive highway safety planning in coordination with local, state, and national partners.
A group of panelists will discuss important Safety Focus Areas and how to adapt to the vision for continued success in achieving traffic safety goals.
10:30 - 10:45 BREAK
10:45 - 12:00 BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS 1 & 2
Changing the Way We Think About Distracted Driving - Commonwealth 1/2 (Lobby Level)
Presenter: Joel Feldman - EndDD.org
Moderator: Lori McCloskey
Distracted driving continues to persist despite many campaigns, especially for teen drivers. It is time to change the way we think about distracted driving. This session will provide new strategies for effectively educating students about driving without distraction and speaking up as passengers. Attendees will see portions of teen presentations and leave with access to presentation materials they can use in their communities for high school and elementary school distracted driving presentations. Opportunities for first responders to educate students will also be discussed.
Distracted Driving Enforcement - King's Garden 4/5 (Ballroom Level)
Presenter: Thomas Winters - ILEE
Moderator: Greg Buchkoski
This presentation is designed to address the Distracted Driving issue impacting highway safety in Pennsylvania. Initially, we will identify the problem by examining current crash statistics and continue with a discussion centered around enforcement efforts. We will cover topics such as identifying common distracted driving indicators and different types of driving distractions along with various safety countermeasures. Additionally, we will address applicable legal issues concerning electronic communication laws. Patrol strategies will be presented regarding the enforcement of distracted driving issues.
12:00 - 1:30 LUNCH - King's Garden 1/2/3 (Ballroom Level)
1:30 - 2:30 BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS 3 & 4
Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Education Now - Commonwealth 1/2 (Lobby Level)
Presenter: Trish Meek - PennDOT
Moderator: John Kashatus
Learn more about updates to PennDOT policy and design manuals related to pedestrian issues and national efforts to advance pedestrian safety. You probably know about the PA Bicycle Driver’s Manual and 4-foot pass stickers. During this session, we are looking for input on what additional PennDOT print materials or tools would be helpful for pedestrian safety events.
DEA Perspective: Alarming Trends on Drug Use - The Rise of Fentanyl & CBD Products and Dramatic Increases of Overdose Deaths - King's Garden 4/5 (Ballroom Level)
Presenter: Brian Dempsey - DEA
Moderator: Catherine Tress
The presentation will focus on how the COVID Pandemic saw the rise in overdose deaths in the U.S. and the factors that contributed to this rise including how illicit fentanyl is being distributed in the U.S. Additionally, the presentation will discuss the rise of overdose deaths among young people (ages 14 to 18) and some alarming trends on drug use by young people such as CBD infused products & THC Vapes. The presentation will focus on the trafficking of illicit fentanyl, the rise of fentanyl pills in the U.S., and the access to counterfeit pills on social media markets such as Discord, Telegram, etc. The presentation will review overdose deaths in the state of Pennsylvania and the drugs responsible for those overdose deaths. Finally, the presentation will discuss changes in federal laws in 2022, which affect how people are treated with medications for Opioid Use Disorder.
2:30 - 3:00 BREAK
3:00 - 4:00 BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS 5 & 6
What’s New in Motorcycle Safety - Commonwealth 1/2 (Lobby Level)
Presenters: Colleen Anderson - PennDOT; Tracy Lee - Highway Safety Services, LLC
Moderator: Angelia Gillis
Colleen Anderson of PennDOT’s Bureau of Driver Licensing will share what’s new in PA for motorcycle safety and resources for our educational partners. Tracy Lee of Highway Safety Services will be discussing national trends in motorcycle safety. Together, Colleen and Tracy hope to stir up conversation and answer burning questions about motorcycle safety.
Pedestrian Enforcement - King's Garden 4/5 (Ballroom Level)
Presenter: Chris Lengle - Highway Safety Network
Pedestrian safety is identified as a priority emphasis area in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan, as one out of eight highway fatalities is a pedestrian. This presentation is designed to present enforcement activities as part of the overall strategy to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities. We will cover topics such as enforcement strategies, common violations, site selection, reporting, and partnerships.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19TH
Registration Table will be open from 7:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Breakfast on your own
9:00 - 10:30 BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS 7 & 8
How to Reach Underserved Communities Through Media - King's Garden 4/5 (Ballroom Level)
Presenters: Lisanne Divine - The Center; Aisha Phillips, MPH, APIO (FEMA) - Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health
Moderators: Jennifer Kuntch; Saxon Daugherty; Jordan Jones
Lisanne Divine, Traffic Safety Manager for The Center in Utica, NY will discuss who refugee and immigrant populations are and how they become a part of our community. She will share the multiple ways The Center reaches these populations with traffic safety information through partnerships with law enforcement, faith-based organizations, and other community-based initiatives. Finally, she will provide strategies for participants to create multilingual traffic safety materials of their own.
The Dutchess County (NY) Department of Behavioral & Community Health works with other county departments and community partners to promote a state-funded pedestrian safety education program, “Watch Out For Me”. The program focuses on the City and Town of Poughkeepsie, which are NYS Focus Communities under New York State’s Pedestrian Safety Action Plan program. This presentation will highlight our education and marketing efforts designed for a variety of audiences including children, seniors, transit riders, and drivers – and the lessons learned throughout the past five years.
DUI - Drugs - Commonwealth 1/2 (Lobby Level)
Presenter: David Andrascik - PA DUI Association
Moderator: Leo Hegarty
The DRE State Coordinator will discuss current DUI Drug enforcement issues.
10:30 - 10:45 BREAK
10:45 - 12:00 BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS 9 & 10
Using Focus Groups to Inform Your Highway Safety Programming - King's Garden 4/5 (Ballroom Level)
Presenters: Terri Rae Anthony - AAA; Jaci Brice - Highway Safety Network
Moderator: Nicole Barnett
Focus Groups are often used in program development and design and are useful to develop interventions and identify needs as well as barriers and promoting factors for a particular program. In program planning and evaluation, research has demonstrated that focus groups are an effective way to obtain a diverse range of information for effective, meaningful, and relevant program design.
Traffic Safety Case Law Updates - Commonwealth 1/2 (Lobby Level)
Presenter: Nathan L. Boob - Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association/Institute
Moderator: Chris Lengle
A look at recent Pennsylvania court decisions and legislative initiatives affecting traffic safety throughout the Commonwealth. The session will also offer best practices for law enforcement, prosecutors, and criminal justice agencies in response to current legal developments and foreseeable future legal trends.
12:00 - 1:30 LUNCH - King's Garden 1/2/3 (Ballroom Level)
1:30 - 4:00 GENERAL SESSION 2
Reaching Underserved Communities in a Positive Way - King's Garden 4/5 (Ballroom Level)
Presenters: Corporal Aaron Allen - PSP Heritage Affairs; Nexa Castro - PennDOT; Jasmine Bailey - NHTSA; Shannon Trice – NHTSA
Moderator: Michele Davis
Corporal Allen of PA State Police’s Heritage Affairs department will provide some strategies, tactics, and examples of successful outreach to our underserved communities across the state. He will also provide contacts and resources from their Heritage Affairs unit to help our network successfully gather their community’s leaders.
Nexa Castro from the PA Department of Transportation will take you from “Spark” to “Success” by providing the attendees with tips and lessons learned on how to engage with communities as it relates to our traffic safety initiatives. Her workshop will bring you from identifying the spark, the impacted groups, and backgrounds, to creating a partnership with the stakeholders and community leader to obtain Success. She will focus on how to effectively engage with the communities we serve throughout PA.
NHTSA will share how to develop partnerships with community leaders who can act as proxies to share the highway safety messaging, and the importance of being a positive presence as a partner in underserved communities.
THURSDAY, APRIL 20
Registration Table will be open from 7:30 - 9:00
Breakfast on your own
9:00 - 12:00 GENERAL SESSION 3
Vulnerable Road Users Safety Assessment for Pennsylvania - King's Garden 4/5 (Ballroom Level)
Presenters: Jeff Riegner, Shannon Warchol, and Pete Jenior - Kittelson Associates Inc.
Moderator: Jason Hershock
US DOT data shows vulnerable road users account for a growing share of all United States roadway fatalities in recent years. An even larger number of vulnerable road users are injured each year in collisions involving motor vehicles. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act established new special rules for Vulnerable Road User Safety including the new Safe System approach. Join us as we discuss the latest in VRU safety performance assessment data, research, and technology, and explain what the Safe System process is specifically for Post-Crash Care and Safe Road Users. The session will show how crash data and other risk factors relate to different demographics across Pennsylvania. We’ll provide a brief overview of infrastructure improvements for VRUs. The session will conclude with an open panel discussion about VRU issues and current practices for enforcement, education, and medical services.
Additional questions or requests should be directed to PennDOT Regional Program Administrators or Emily Bremer at 717-787-3656 ([email protected]).