FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Contact:
Lisa Koumjian
[email protected] [1]
Darren Boysen
[email protected] [2]
GTSC ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $28.6 MILLION AVAILABLE TO IMPROVE HIGHWAY SAFETY
Grants Support Police Traffic Services, Child Passenger Safety and Highway Safety Initiatives
Last Year More Than $32 Million Awarded to 550 Programs Statewide
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee [3] (GTSC) announced today that more than $28.6 million is available to improve traffic safety in New York. The highway safety grant program provides funds to local, state and not-for-profit agencies for projects that improve traffic safety and reduce deaths and serious injuries due to crashes. It supports enforcement initiatives, public education and information, research, traffic records, child passenger safety and community awareness projects.
“New York continues to lead the nation in highway safety initiatives, protecting motorists, passengers and pedestrians through strategic and innovative programs,” said Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder. “This funding will continue to advance our efforts by supporting unique and effective education and enforcement initiatives designed to save lives and keep New York's roadways as safe as possible."
The funding, which is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [4] is administered by the GTSC. Learn more about the GTSC grant program [5] and how to apply for funding https://trafficsafety.ny.gov/gtsc-faqs#GTSC-Grant-Program [5].
Last year, $32.6 million was awarded to 550 projects that focused on three types of driver safety initiatives:
$28.3 Million for Highway Safety Grants
Provided to state, local and not-for-profit programs that cover a variety of traffic safety efforts including education initiatives, traffic records improvements, training, crash reconstruction, and railroad crossing safety. In addition, the programs cover distracted driving, slow moving vehicles, and drowsy and impaired driving. These initiatives focus on protecting child passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, wheel-sport athletes, motorcyclists, teens and older drivers.
$2.4 Million for Police Traffic Services
Initiatives by law enforcement agencies to target dangerous driver behaviors. This includes participation in the national Click It or Ticket seat belt mobilization and other enforcement initiatives aimed at preventing unsafe speed, aggressive and distracted behaviors, and occupant restraint enforcement.
$1.9 Million for Child Passenger Safety
Supports child passenger safety education, training for child passenger safety technicians, conducting car seat checks statewide, operating a car seat distribution program for low-income families, and establishing permanent child safety seat fitting stations.
A regional breakdown of the grant funding is below:
These grants build on the state’s efforts to make our roadways safer. In fact, in 2018 the total number of crash fatalities in New York was the lowest on record, since the state began keeping track in 1920.
Furthermore, these grants fund successful programs such as the Click It or Ticket enforcement campaigns. According to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research [6] at the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College, New York’s seat belt compliance rate has consistently remained at or above 90 percent since 2010. In a 2019 survey, drivers and front seat passengers were observed wearing seatbelts 94 percent of the time, the highest level in state history. The national average for seatbelt compliance is 89 percent.
About the GTSC
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is comprised of 12-member agencies. The Committee supports and promotes the state's highway safety program to provide for the safe transportation of people and goods on New York's roadways. It also coordinates various traffic safety activities throughout the year, across the state, and serves as the state's official liaison with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For more information about GTSC, visit https://trafficsafety.ny.gov/ [3], or follow the GTSC conversation at Facebook [7] and Twitter [8].
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