Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

officer road code toolkit

Buckle Up

Wear a seat belt so you’ll be there for your 

family and those who serve with you.

Arriving alive at the scene is the 

first step to getting home safely.

Safety Message • 1
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Protect yourself to serve others. 

It takes just seconds to 

buckle your seat belt. 

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 2
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Click it. 

A seat belt is part of your 

uniform in the patrol car. 

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 3
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

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officer road code toolkit

Don’t be another statistic. 

Between 1980 and 2015, 43% of officers killed in 

traffic crashes were not wearing a seat belt.

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 4

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2018
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and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

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officer road code toolkit

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 5

Be a model for seat belt safety 

in your community. 
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 6

Your seat belt keeps 

you safe so you can

respond to a call.
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 7

Buckle up behind the wheel. 

Your family, fellow officers, 

and community need you. 
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

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officer road code toolkit

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 8

Seat belts saved almost 

14,000 lives in 2015. 

How many will you save by 

buckling up? Arrive alive!

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

officer road code toolkit

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 9

Click it so you 

can serve others.
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Buckle Up

Safety Message • 10

Arrive alive by buckling up.
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Think before you speed.

Be aware of your driving environment 

when responding to a call.

Safety Message • 11

Slow Down
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Safety Message • 12

Source: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 2018

Slow Down

Consider your family 

before speeding. 

On average, 2 officers die 

in crashes every month.
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

How you respond to a call is 

just as important as what 

you do when you arrive.

Safety Message • 13

Slow Down
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Reduce your speed. 

If not for your own life, then for your 

family and those who serve with you.

Safety Message • 14

Slow Down
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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Safety and Health

officer road code toolkit

Drive safely. Always. 

How can you respond to an 

emergency if you crash on the way? 

Safety Message • 15

Slow Down
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Slow down and be aware 

of your surroundings. 

Other drivers may not hear 

your siren until it’s too late.

Safety Message • 16

Slow Down
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Protect your life so you 

can save others.

Reducing your speed, even a little, can greatly 

reduce your chance of being in a fatal crash. 

Safety Message • 17

Slow Down

Road Accident Research Unit, University of Adelaide, 2001
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

You’re not the only one 

on the road.

Safety Message • 18

Slow Down
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Make sure that intersections 

are clear when responding to 

emergency calls. 

Safety Message • 19

Slow Down
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Slow Down

Reduce your speed in 

residential areas.

30% of people killed in a police pursuit 

crash were innocent bystanders. 

Safety Message • 20

Source: Rivara, 2004
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Focus

Focus on driving–pull over 

to use your MDT or 

other in-car electronics. 

We have limited ability to do two things at once.

Safety Message • 21

Source: National Safety Council, 2012
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Behind the wheel, driving 

is your primary job. 

Crashes are a leading cause of officer deaths.

Safety Message • 22

Source: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 2016 

Focus
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officer road code toolkit

Safety Message • 23

Drive safely. 

Can you back up your fellow officer 

if you never make it there?

Focus
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officer road code toolkit

Focus

Focus on the road to arrive alive.

A lot can happen when you 

take your eyes off the road, 

even for a few seconds. 

Safety Message • 24

Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 2014
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Focus on driving to keep 

roads safer for everyone, 

including other officers.

Safety Message • 25

Focus
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officer road code toolkit

Don’t crash responding to a call.

Keep your eyes on the road, hands 

on the wheel, and mind on driving.

Safety Message • 26

Focus
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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Safety and Health

officer road code toolkit

Pull over to use your MDT or 

other in-car electronics.

Keep yourself safe so you 

can serve others. 

Safety Message • 27

Focus
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Focus on driving to arrive alive. 

We all need you.

Safety Message • 28

Focus
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Focus

Distraction can harm 

those you serve. 

3,477 people in the U.S. died in a crash 

involving a distracted driver in 2015. 

Safety Message • 29

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2017 
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

 Focus always, not just when 

responding to a scene.

Safety Message • 30

Focus
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officer road code toolkit

Remain Calm

Practice slow, controlled 

breathing to keep a 

focused mind. 

You can train to control your body during stress.

Safety Message • 31
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Control stress by breathing 

slowly and steadily. 

Provide back-up with a clear mind.

Safety Message • 32

Remain Calm
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and Prevention

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Focused and controlled 

breathing increases awareness 

and improves reaction time. 

Safety Message • 33

Source: The American Institute of Stress, 2017 

Remain Calm
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Safety Message • 34

Breathe slowly 

in through your nose and 

out through your mouth. 

Remain Calm
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and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Observe. Inhale. Visualize. 

Exhale. Repeat. 

You are in the driver’s seat. Take control 

of how you respond to stress.

Safety Message • 35

Remain Calm
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

officer road code toolkit

Practice breathing techniques 

to keep your mind focused 

in a stressful situation.

Safety Message • 36

Remain Calm
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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Safety and Health

officer road code toolkit

Breathe in. Breathe out.

You’re ready to serve.

Safety Message • 37

Remain Calm
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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officer road code toolkit

Reduce your stress:

Deep breath in... 1...2...3...4... 

Breathe out... 1...2...3...4...

Safety Message • 38

Remain Calm
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

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Safety and Health

officer road code toolkit

Practice slow, controlled breathing 

before you decide to respond.

Stress happens. 

Take control of your adrenaline.

Safety Message • 39

Remain Calm
Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

officer road code toolkit

Use tactical breathing 

(i.e., slow, controlled breaths) 

to lower your stress.

You can’t see stress, but it’s still there.

Safety Message • 40

Remain Calm