Michigan Safe Communities is a program that invites local community leaders, organizations and citizens to work with the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) to prevent traffic crashes, violence and substance abuse in their communities.

The benefits of becoming a Safe Community include:

• Potential decrease of traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities
• Savings in health care costs
• Local data to document the need for traffic and other safety improvements
• Opportunities for funding of a traffic safety prevention program
• Increase in community spirit

There are three steps to becoming a Michigan Safe Community:

• Have a coalition in place that consists of at least five key local organizations or leaders. Suggested members include law enforcement agencies, medical organizations, government leaders, legal representatives, road commissioners, engineers, traffic planners, education representatives, media and local businesses.
• Complete a problem identification process. OHSP offers a problem identification instrument called Tools for Injury Prevention and Safety (TIPS) free of charge.
• Implement an injury prevention program based on the results of the problem identification process. OHSP materials will help communities determine the most effective injury prevention program.
  

OHSP has many resources available to Safe Communities including:

• Planning workshop - OHSP can conduct a planning workshop to give participants a better understanding of the Safe Communities concept, along with providing examples of other Safe Community and injury prevention programs.
• Tools for Injury Prevention and Safety (TIPS) - OHSP can provide this free problem identification instrument to communities that have a coalition in place.
• Technical Assistance - OHSP will provide technical assistance to identify an appropriate research-based injury prevention program.

www.nhtsa.dot.gov/safecommunities