Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces $70 Million in Traffic Safety Grants

In the continuing commitment to save the lives and futures of Californians, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced $70 million in traffic safety grants awarded to 136 agencies and communities across the state. The newly funded grants include activities covering impaired driving, roadway safety, seat belt and child safety seat usage, emergency medical services, pedestrian and bicycle safety and police traffic services.

The federally funded grant programs range from time-tested practices with proven results to innovative projects that look to break new ground in the pursuit for safer roadways. The funds will be administered by the Office of Traffic Safety through the Business, Transportation & Housing Agency.

“It is critical that we continue to ensure the safety of everyone on our roadways,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “These grants will pay for those activities that combat DUI, encourage seat belt use, tackle aggressive driving and save lives and futures.”

The public will see the effects of the grants through enforcement efforts such as sobriety checkpoints, DUI saturation patrols, emergency rescue equipment and illegal street racing patrols.

There will be behind-the-scenes programs such as DUI prosecutor education, increased scrutiny of repeat offenders through probation departments, emergency room interventions for suspected drunk drivers and more efficient sharing of records and information among different agencies.

“The efforts reflected in these programs are aimed squarely at saving lives,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “This will keep California’s traffic safety work on track and moving ahead toward our goal of achieving the fewest traffic fatalities in the nation.”

Fast Facts:

• California’s Mileage Death Rate was 1.31 fatalities per million miles traveled in 2005, much lower than the national average of 1.45.
• California’s 2005 Alcohol Fatality Rate was 0.52, much lower than the national average of 0.56.
• California’s 2006 seat belt usage was 93.4%, the fourth highest in the nation.
• 4,304 people were killed in vehicle collisions in 2005, including 1,574 where alcohol was involved.
• 292,798 people were in injured in vehicle collisions in 2005, including 30,810 where alcohol was involved.
• 403 motorcyclists and 748 pedestrians were killed in 2005.

Today’s announcement includes grants to eight regions of the state. Summaries of the awards can be found at www.ots.ca.gov.