Welcome to the May 2019 edition of the UFTI T2 Center Newsletter. Feel free to call (352-273-1670) or email (t2assist@ce.ufl.edu) with any ideas, questions, or concerns. Thanks for reading!
In This Newsletter:
- Director’s Message
- Upcoming Courses and Training
- Center News
- Florida Occupant Protection Resource Center (OPRC) Update
- Join the Florida Occupant Protection Coalition
- Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center (SRC) Update
- Center Resources
- Searching for Safety or Technical Training?
Director’s Message
The T2 Center has had a busy and a strong start to 2019 with the grants program, resource center activities, and auxiliary classes. The Occupant Protection Resource Center (OPRC) and Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Center (Pedbike SRC) resource centers are distributing more resources than ever before and are increasingly participating in events providing assistance. OPRC and Pedbike SRC staff have also participated and presented at the Florida Occupant Protection Coalition meetings. T2 staff are also assisting with finalizing the beta version of the Distracted Teen Driving course for the FDOT Safety Office.
The T2 Center hosted the Roundabout Symposium and an Intersection Control Evaluation workshop, which were both well attended; follow-up sessions are being planned for later this year. T2 also shared some of the ongoing efforts and available resources to the Advanced County Commissioner class and has been actively participating and contributing to the Community Traffic Safety Team meetings. The Transportation Safety Center (TSC) at T2 completed safety studies in Columbia County and is wrapping up the Jackson County study report. TSC is also working with schools on the Safe Routes To School grants.
We are looking forward to a busy summer with completing several ongoing grants and beginning work on new projects.
Upcoming Courses and Training
Registration for upcoming UFTI T2 training courses is online! Get your PDHs before biannual renewal.
Construction Training Qualification Program (CTQP)
Maintenance of Traffic / Temporary Traffic Control Training Courses
Pilot Escort/ Flagging Training Courses
Request Exclusive On-Site Training
If you don’t see a class that fits your needs and have a group of interested students, please contact Jasper Masciocchi at j.masciocchi@ufl.edu or (352) 273-1685 to discuss the opportunity to bring a class to your location. T2 has a pool of qualified, experienced, professional instructors capable of traveling to your location.
Center News
Florida Occupant Protection Resource Center (OPRC) – May 2019 Update
The 2019 Latch Manual & the Simple Steps to Child Passenger Safety DVD are in stock for CPS professionals. CPS instructors are eligible to order up to 6 car seats from the OPRC per class. Up to 24 car seats can also be ordered for each event in any of the priority counties (listed below). These counties have had an elevated number of fatalities related to seat belts, car seats, and airbags.
| Baker | Bay | Broward | Citrus | Columbia | DeSoto |
| Duval | Gadsden | Hillsborough | Jackson | Levy | Miami-Dade |
| Orange | Palm Beach | Pinellas | Santa Rosa | Suwanee | Taylor |
The $2 Difference Child Safety Seat Program protects Florida’s children by providing car seats to families who cannot afford them. Residents can donate $2 or more when registering their vehicle or renewing their license plate to purchase car seats for needy families in their communities. The statewide program is a collaboration between county tax collector’s offices, the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). In 2019, the program received enough donations to purchase 174 car seats. The Florida Occupant Protection Resource Center (OPRC) distributes these car seats to child passenger safety technicians and instructors in each county and collects the reporting documentation after the seats are given out. For more information about the $2 Difference Child Safety Seat Program, visit FLHSMV.
The importance of CPS professionals in Florida is apparent, with a variety of car seats available for purchase and even more vehicles on the market. Schedule an appointment at a car seat fitting station near you to be sure you have the skills and knowledge to install your seat correctly every time in your vehicle. CPS professionals are encouraged to report car seat checks to the OPRC. CPS Safety Seat Report
Need help with reporting requirements for OPRC Materials or Tangible Items? Downloadable pledge forms are available: Put It Down Pledge form [link] and Safety Belt Pledge form [link]. Signatures must be collected for any item marked “Tangible” – download a signature form [link], or you can create your own signature form. Give us a call at 352.273.1685 or email floridaoprc@ce.ufl.edu. We are happy to help.
Scholarships are available through OPRC for CPS technician certification, re-certification, and instructor candidacy. Fill out the scholarship application with the CPS class of your choice. Need help finding a class? We can help.
Join the Florida Occupant Protection Coalition (FOPC)
Join the Florida Occupant Protection Coalition (FOPC) to contribute and share ideas and guide the future of occupant protection in Florida. The FOPC meets quarterly in Gainesville. Travel reimbursement is available for members, if needed.
The next FOPC meeting is coming up on May 22-23 at the Gainesville Police Department. Plan ahead to attend the next meetings scheduled for August 14-15. Contact FOPC at Florida Occupant Protection Coalition FloridaOPCoalition@ce.ufl.edu or 352-273-1671 for more information about joining the coalition.
Upcoming Florida Occupant Protection Coalition meetings:
- August 14-15, 2019
- November 20-21, 2019
- February 26-27, 2020
- June 10-11, 2020
- September 2-3, 2020
Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center (SRC) Update
Helmet News
The Helmet Store is open! We have passed the midpoint of the current grant cycle. As we get closer to the end of the grant cycle, our supply of helmets will decrease. We currently have helmets available in a range of sizes and are able to provide helmets for big or small events. For information on how to order bicycle helmets, please visit https://www.pedbikesrc.ce.ufl.edu/pedbike/Bike_Helmets.asp.
School is Almost Out for the Summer
Now is the time to start thinking about Florida school children out of school! As school draws to a close, you will begin to see kids in unpredictable places and at unpredictable times. Please be extra vigilant around kids as they ride bikes and walk in their neighborhoods and near community resources such as pools and libraries. We want every kid to make it back to school at the end of the summer.
Florida Makes Texting a Primary Offense
Also be on the lookout for increased texting enforcement! We know our Community Partners would never text and drive, but some drivers do text while operating a vehicle on Florida roads. The Florida Legislature and the Governor have made texting a primary offense. This is good for all of us who share the road. While the newest statistics are moving in the right direction, Florida is routinely in the top 3 states in the nation for bike and pedestrian fatalities. This new law has the potential to reduce fatalities across all populations of road users.
For Law Enforcement Only
If you are in one of the 25 Focus Counties for pedestrian and bicycle issues, we have a front and rear bike light combo that is available only for law enforcement to distribute.
Follow this link for more info: https://www.pedbikesrc.ce.ufl.edu/pedbike/Resources.asp.
Event Support
SRC staff are available to assist state safety advocates at events. If you have a safety event that you would like PedBike SRC to support please email pedbikesrc@ce.ufl.eduwith your request. Please make contact as early as possible to avoid conflicts with other events.
Center Resources
Searching for Safety or Technical Training?
T2 can work with you to meet your training needs. Whether it is heavy equipment, project management, Traffic Engineering Fundamentals, or countless other topics, T2 is positioned to help bring the trainings of interest to your location.
We can also provide an array of webinars geared to provide you with the most relevant information without the need to travel. Let us know your areas of interest, and we can work with our experts to provide training, either in instructor-led or webinar formats.
Many of our courses are approved for Professional Engineer (PE) credits.
Contact Jasper Masciocchi at j.masciocchi@ufl.edu or 352.273.1685 to discuss your training needs.