Take two committed partners as often as needed until symptoms are relieved.

Who are the partners?

• Cops: Law enforcement professionals

• Docs: Health care professionals or medical professionals

What are the symptoms?

• In 1995: 41,789 people died in car crashes

• In 1995: 3,386,000 people were injured in car crashes

• In 1994: $150.5 billion in economic cost to the country

What can be done to find a cure?

Medical professionals can support law enforcement efforts by:

• Testifying to the physiological realities of unsafe driving behaviors:
  • Speeding
  • Impaired driving
  • Not using safety belts
  • Not using child restraints
  • Aggressive driving
  • Not using motorcycle and bicycle helmets

• Advocating safety legislation:
  • Primary safety belt laws
  • .08 DUI laws
  • Zero tolerance for youth drivers
  • Graduated licensing
  • Upgrading child passenger safety laws
  • Motorcyce helmet laws

• Participating with law enforcement in media events:
  • Using public information and education to reduce unsafe driving behaviors

Law enforcement can support medical efforts by:

• Vigorously enforcing traffic laws:
  • Using high visibility patrols during peak travel periods
  • Measuring the impact of enforcement efforts and voluntary compliance

• Testifying to the realities of unsafe driving behaviors:
  • Speeding
  • Impaired driving
  • Not using safety belts
  • Not using child restraints
  • Aggressive driving
  • Not using motorcycle and bicycle helmets

• Participating with medical professionals in media events:
  • Using public information and education to reduce unsafe driving behaviors

• Advocating safety legislation:
  • Primary safety belt laws
  • .08 DUI laws
  • Zero tolerance for youth drivers
  • Graduated licensing
  • Upgrading child passenger safety laws
  • Motorcyce helmet laws

Wait a minute! They’re both doing the same things.

That’s right ... kind of silly, isn’t it? Imagine how powerful their messages would be if they said it together. They did just that in Florida to kick-off the July 4, 1996 celebration. And they might be on the brink of a cure for the most devastating plague of all -- traffic crashes.

Florida kick-off event

Use the resources you have in your community, along with Cops and Docs: highway safety advocates, educators and school systems, churches, the judiciary, insurance companies, traffic engineers, and the legislature.

The prescription your community needs for success is cooperation and partnership ... it’s a proven therapy!