Twitter: @coloradodot
May 14, 2019
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MEDIA ALERT
CDOT's Cannabis Conversation to Visit Eagle, Host Community Workshop
EAGLE — The Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) Cannabis Conversation will stop in Eagle to host a stakeholder workshop meeting as part of its statewide outreach, gathering input and ideas for potential solutions to marijuana-impaired driving. CDOT will also ask for feedback on its public service announcement ad concepts. The meeting is a collaborative effort between CDOT and the Eagle River Youth Coalition.
WHAT: CDOT Cannabis Conversation Stakeholder Workshop
WHEN: Thursday, May 16, 4:30 p.m.Media are invited to join CDOT during the second half of the stakeholder meeting to observe the meeting, discuss results from the workshop and view the campaign creative concepts.
WHERE: Eagle County Building — Garden Level Classroom
500 Broadway St. Eagle, CO 81631
500 Broadway St. Eagle, CO 81631
WHO:
· CDOT
· Eagle River Youth Coalition
· Sweet Leaf Recreational & Medical Dispensary
· Organizations representing the cannabis industry, public health, prevention and law enforcement
VISUALS / INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
· Partners listed above available for interviews
· Creative ad campaign concepts
· Workshop attendees
WHY: CDOT’s Cannabis Conversation is a statewide traffic safety campaign that aims to engage Coloradans and partners in a meaningful discussion about marijuana and driving. In 2018, CDOT gathered feedback from more than 15,000 Coloradans and worked with stakeholders from the marijuana industry, healthcare, law enforcement and community groups to better understand why people drive high and how to facilitate behavior change.
This year, CDOT is again reaching out to the public and industry partners to collaboratively create a new traffic safety ad campaign and is working with the public and industry to develop practical solutions to the issue. In 2018, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) noted a 25 percent increase in marijuana DUI citations compared to 2017, and more than 20 percent of all DUI citations issued by CSP in 2018 involved marijuana. CDOT will use what it learns in 2019 to address public concerns and create safety campaigns to make Colorado roads safer. To learn more, visitColoradoCannabisConvo.com.
Whole System. Whole Safety.
To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its “Whole System | Whole Safety” initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving safety conditions for those traveling by all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission - to get everyone home safely.
