Community Outreach Toolkit

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office offers this online toolkit to support THSO grantees with planning community outreach for traffic safety. Community outreach is an important, event-based strategy for educating the public on safe driving habits. Utilize the resources below to help maximize your opportunities. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your program manager.

Click on your grant type below to access grant-approved activities. 

Impaired Driving Grant (154 funding)

If you have an Impaired Driving grant, your community outreach events must address the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and controlled substances, and prescription drugs that alter cognitive, visual, and physical acuity.

ACTIVITY IDEAS (This is not an exhaustive list. Additional ideas should be discussed with your assigned THSO program manager.)

• Use fatal vision goggles (aka drunk and marijuana goggles) and pair with activities that demonstrate how impairment affects driving.
  • For example: Community members wear fatal vision goggles to play corn hole, drive Pedal Karts, navigate walking a straight line or activity mat. 
• Plan and host a mock crash at local high school.
• Schedule a DUI Victim Impact Speaker to share their story at your event.
• Sponsor a poster design and essay competition about the dangers of drinking and driving.
• Host an event for older drivers that includes a presentation by a healthcare professional addressing how medications can affect driving behavior.

IMPORTANT: Other safe driving behaviors may be addressed during your impaired driving event, however  your primary focus must address the risks of impaired driving and only personnel time used to address impaired driving is eligible for reimbursement. Reach out to your program manager for additional information.

Police Traffic Services Grant (402 funding)

If you have a Police Traffic Services grant, your community outreach event may address a variety of safe driving behaviors and demonstrate the dangers of risk-behavior choices.

ACTIVITY IDEAS (This is not an exhaustive list. Additional ideas should be discussed with your assigned THSO program manager.)

All of the activity ideas listed for an Impaired Driving grant may also be used for your Police Traffic Services grant in addition to the following:

• Walk to School Day can be used as an opportunity to speak to students and their parents prior to and during this day about safe crosswalk usage.
• Organize a Child Passenger Safety event.
• Plan a Motorcycle Safety event – set up a driving course in a designated area and host an event for new motorcycle drivers and those looking to improve their safe driving skills.
• Older Driver CarFit and Yellow Dot can be offered together at senior community event centers.
• A Touch-A-Truck event is always a fun idea to pair with National Night Out and fall festivals.
• The Seat Belt Convincer is an effective resource to teach seatbelt safety.
• Consider offering a Drowsy Driver Presentation to students before finals testing week.
• Sponsor a poster design and essay competition about the dangers of distracted driving or the importance of seatbelt use.
• School bus safety can be addressed during back-to-school fairs.

Use this helpful checklist below to start planning your community outreach event today.

Confirm your grant type

Identify the types of community outreach events that are allowable under your grant type. IMPORTANT: If your grant is a 154 funded Enforcement of Tennessee Driving Under The Influence grant, then your community outreach event must address the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

Download the Community Outreach Event Activity Form

You may use no more than 20% of your grant’s personnel budget to pay for overtime costs. You may assign officers, administrative staff, and personnel from area law enforcement or EMS partners approved by your agency.

Remember to submit your THSO Community Outreach Event Activity form(s) and photos with your quarterly claim reports.

Identify activities your agency already participates in or provides

Rather than working from scratch, you may piggyback on annual, pre-planned events coordinated by others in your area. By developing and expanding community partnerships, you can increase your opportunities for community outreach with various populations. Examples include events like annual county fairs, seasonal fairs, sports tournaments, and Halloween Trunk-or-Treat. This strategy can also help you address multiple traffic safety issues during one event

Reach out to a traffic safety task force

Law enforcement agencies unite to bring years of combined experience to collaborate on community outreach and traffic enforcement events. Reach out to your regional LEL or program manager to find out more about the community outreach events these traffic safety task forces offer or inquire on how to start a task force in your area.

Identify traffic safety issues and high risk groups

• Does your data reflect high crashes involving distracted or impaired drivers, teen drivers, older drivers, pedestrians, etc.?
• One or more traffic safety issues may be addressed in your community outreach event. But remember that if you have an Impaired Driving grant that the focus must be impaired driving and only overtime hours may be reimbursed for staff addressing impaired driving during your event.

Determine date, time, and location

IMPORTANT: Start planning your event early to ensure availability of location, resources, and community partners. Ideally, you want to start planning six weeks out, depending on how long you want to promote in advance.

Contact your program manager and regional LEL to let them know what you’re planning and find out how they can assist you. Keeping your program manager and LEL aware of your plans allows them to provide resources you will need in time for your event, like a seat belt convincer.

As soon as you decide you need press support from THSO, inform your program manager so he/she can notify THSO’s public information officer to assist you. Examples of press support include creation of an event flyer, posting on social media, assistance with press releases, and more.

Decide when and where

• Community Events: Identify where a large representation of your community members will gather, like seasonal and holiday festivals.
• Identify events where your target audience will gather, for example: parks during baseball practices and games, senior activity centers, schools, daycare facilities, and local car club gatherings.
• Outdoor Events: Be mindful of weather conditions and times of year for outdoor events. For example, an outdoor event for seniors would be best held during mild temperature seasons. If possible, identify an adjacent indoor space to safely move to in case of inclement weather. Consider a postponement date in the event of unexpected weather or events.
• Indoor Events: These are typically planned with a community partner. Work with your contact to ensure the available area will meet your needs for the specified date and time, size, accessibility, and equipment loading area if needed.
• Road and Parking Access: Ensure that the location you choose for your event has adequate parking options and provides easy and safe access. For example, identify surrounding roads under construction that may hinder easy and safe access to your event space.

Promotion

• Identify how/where you will need to promote your event to ensure success, in addition to your social media accounts. These include your city/county, local media outlets and any agency that you may be partnering with.
• Remember to reach out to your THSO program manager if you would like your event promoted by the THSO public information officer on our social media pages.

Event run-of-show sheet

Consider utilizing a “run-of-show” planning sheet to keep tasks and assignments organized. This typically includes a list of activities and tasks for the day from arrival/set-up to the end of your event and take-down with times noted for each.

Staffing

• Identify all available internal and external department/organization staff members.
  • IMPORTANT: Reach out to Tennessee Trucking road team captains to find out about the programs and staffing they can provide.
• Make sure that everyone is aware of planning meetings, assignments, and when/where to report and set-up on the day of the event.
• For large-scale events, assign team captains to ease communication before and during the event.
• Establish a communication process that specifies how information is to be shared before and during the event.
• At least three weeks before the event, reconfirm availability of staff and resources, and complete a site-visit.
• Consider having an on-site meeting prior to the start of the event.
• Provide a staff sign-in sheet.
• Assign a photographer. Photos should include staff interacting with members of the community and leading/participating in activities.
• Assign at least one person to greet people and, if applicable, at the exit to gather comments, contact information, answer questions, and hand out resources.

 

Post event

• Remember to submit your THSO Community Outreach Event Activity form(s) and photos with your quarterly claim reports.
• IMPORTANT: Submit one (1) Community Outreach Event Activity form for each officer/staff member you are claiming for overtime reimbursement.
• Remember to submit your community outreach events for Law Enforcement Challenge Points.
• Schedule an event follow-up meeting with staff members to gather input about their experiences. Record improvements that should be made for the next event, things that went well and new ideas that will make future events run smoother and improve overall outcomes.

 

If you need THSO press support, contact your program manager as soon as you confirm the date, time, and location of your event, so he/she can notify THSO’s public information officer. Ideally, you should begin planning six weeks out, depending on how long you want to promote in advance. THSO can help you create an event flyer to distribute as an invitation to partners and share on social media. Additional press support can be requested, as needed.

LEL Program

In addition to your program manager, your regional LEL is eager to serve as a resource to support your community outreach efforts. Learn more about the LEL Program to access your regional LEL’s information and resources.
 

Click below to reserve equipment for your events: 

These frequently asked questions provide guidance to help you provide an effective event that aligns with your THSO grant type, educate members of your community, build relationships, and learn how your events fit into existing programs like the Law Enforcement Challenge.

What is community outreach?

In comparison to social media posts, community outreach is an event-based activity provided to educate community members about the importance of safe driving behaviors.

What is NOT community outreach?

While High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) patrol saturations and safety checkpoints include educating the public about safe driving behaviors, these are not considered community outreach events.

Why is community outreach important to my law enforcement agency?

• Educate your community members about safe driving behaviors.
• Build trust and improve relationships within your community.
• Foster relationships with community partners.
• Connect with diverse members of your community to improve communication and better understand their needs.

Are community outreach personnel event costs reimbursable under my THSO grant?

You may use no more than 20% of your grant’s personnel budget to staff community outreach events. Any staff member assigned to these events must complete these hours on an overtime basis
Including:

• Officers
• Administrative staff
• Law enforcement and EMS partners approved by your agency

Remember to submit your THSO Community Outreach Event Activity form(s) and photos with your quarterly claim reports.

IMPORTANT: Submit one (1) Community Outreach Event Activity form for each officer/staff member you are claiming for overtime reimbursement.
 

Is any type of event eligible for reimbursement under my THSO grant?

Your community outreach event must align with your THSO grant type.

• Impaired Driving Grant (154 funding)
  • Outreach events must focus on the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, including prescription drugs that alter cognitive, visual, and physical acuity.
    Other safe driving behaviors, like seatbelt usage, may be addressed during your impaired driving event, however  your primary focus must address the risks of impaired driving, and only personnel time used to address impaired driving is eligible for reimbursement. Reach out to your program manager for additional information.
• Police Traffic Services Grant (402 funding)
  • Outreach events may be provided with an emphasis on one or more traffic safety behaviors including: pedestrian/bicycle safety, CPS, distracted and drowsy driving, impaired driving, motorcycle safety, older driver safety, school bus safety, seat belt safety, speeding prevention, and teen driver safety.

Do community outreach events count towards the THSO Law Enforcement Challenge?

Yes. Submit your community outreach events for Law Enforcement Challenge points. 

Are community outreach events difficult to plan and host?

Creating a fun and engaging outreach event in your community is easier than you may think.

Keep these key pro tips in mind:

• It doesn’t need to be complicated.
  • Easy outreach events can be created specifically as stand-alone activities by your agency or by participating in community sponsored events including: fairs, festivals, sporting events, Halloween Trunk-Or-Treat, and drug take-back events. These opportunities offer an easy way to reach target audiences in your community without planning an event.
• Don’t go it alone.
  • There are several THSO partners that can help you plan and even co-host your next community outreach event. For example, the Tennessee Trucking Foundation will set-up, staff and lead your CarFit and Yellow Dot older driver events,.
  • Many agencies have found that partnering with other area law enforcement agencies, and fire and EMS departments provide opportunities to offer fun high impact events.
• It’s built and they’re already there!
  • Schools, community centers for seniors, after-school-centers, parks, and other city centers are examples of places where your target audiences gather.
• The Tennessee Highway Safety Office is your grant partner!
  • Your Tennessee Highway Safety grant is an important resource to help improve the safe usage of roadways in your community. In addition to your grant, a team of THSO professionals are available to help answer questions and provide the resources you need.
  • By allowing ample time and adequate staffing, they do not have to be difficult to plan and host. Remember to contact your assigned program manager whenever you need assistance.
  • Visit the Staff page under the About THSO tab for contact information.

By allowing ample time and adequate staffing, community outreach events do not have to be difficult to plan and host. Remember to contact your assigned program manager whenever you need assistance and to learn more about the various grant types, partnership opportunities, and THSO Traffic Safety Programs.