California is taking historic steps to secure transportation safety initiatives and reduce bicycle and pedestrian deaths throughout the state. In support of this agenda, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is unveiling $149 million in federal grants to support projects that develop traffic education and enforcement and expand safe biking and walking options for residents.
Funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, OTS will administer grants to projects addressing roadside safety initiatives throughout the state. OTS’s historic investment in transportation safety boasts a $21 million increase from last year’s grants and represents the third consecutive year of record financial support for traffic safety.
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“The OTS is supporting the biggest investments in traffic safety programs since the 1960s,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney says in a press release. “The once-in-a-generation funding will benefit communities across California as we continue to forge a path toward our goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads with the immediate action, urgency and undivided attention traffic safety deserves.”
The OTS grants will support a wide range of initiatives, including addressing the problems caused by alcohol and drug-impaired driving as well asdistracted driving, along with seat belt and child seat belt safety compliance and enhancing emergency medical services.
Additionally, the grants will support bicycle and pedestrian safety as well as police traffic services as they address traffic safety law education and enforcement throughout California.
Law enforcement agencies will be granted $51 million to equitably enforce traffic laws, support educational traffic safety programs and target dangerous driving behaviors on roadways. Speeding, distracted driving and impaired vehicle operations highlight some of the issues law enforcement will target under these grants.
OTS is granting approximately $13 million for e programs to develop safety assessments and training initiatives for pedestrians and cyclists. With a 12% increase in funding from the previous year’s grant cycle, bicycle and pedestrian programs will also implement infrastructure solutions that improve active transportation. One of these infrastructure solutions is a pilot speed limit setting and technical assistance program, designed to develop speed management policies and best practices that make California roads safer.
Approximately $2.74 million in OTS grants will support emergency medical services, a nearly 40% increase in funding from the previous grant cycle. The grants will fund the purchase of extrication equipment, also commonly known as the “Jaws of Life”, for 36 fire departments around the state. Following research showing that 42% of fatal crash victims were alive immediately post-crash, OTS anticipates that increasing investments in post-crash care will reduce traffic deaths and increase emergency services’ response times.
While these three initiatives are integral to OTS’ mission, this round of grants will also support initiatives addressing occupant protections, motorcycle safety, autonomous vehicle implementation, alcohol- and drug-impaired driving and traffic records.
One such project, led by the University of California, Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC), will develop an autonomous vehicle crash data dashboard and mapping system using records from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Receiving $350,000 in OTS grants, SafeTREC will also embark on public outreach efforts to gauge residents’ opinions on autonomous vehicle technology and implementation.
A full list of all OTS grants is available through the OTS grant list. Additional information and resources for the OTS grant program and supplementary funding opportunities supporting California’s infrastructure agenda can be found on the OTS’ grant website.
Photo by Roman Lopez on Unsplash
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