ITD awarded more than $1 million for highway safety activities

ITD secured more than $1 million in grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to improve safe travel for Idahoans.

The Office of Highway Safety received more than $950,000 to apply toward its strategic plan goal of reducing traffic fatalities resulting from individuals driving while impaired.

Idaho’s portion of the Section 410 Alcohol Impaired Driving Countermeasures Incentive Grant Program is about equal to the grant received last year.

ITD received the grants because the state’s impaired-driving programs and laws met the grant application criteria in the following areas; a high-visibility enforcement campaign, a prosecution and adjudication outreach program, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) testing program, an alcohol rehabilitation or driving while intoxicated court program and an underage drinking prevention program.

“We are confident these efforts will result in a decrease in highway crashes, injuries and deaths,” said David L. Strickland, NHTSA administrator, in awarding the grant.

NHTSA also awarded IITD $100,000 to support efforts to eliminate deaths and serious injuries related to motorcycles. The grant can be used to fund motorcycle safety training and motorcyclist awareness programs.

Awards were made to states that adopt and implement effective programs to reduce the number of single- and multi-vehicle crashes involving motorcyclists.

Idaho qualified for the funding because the state offers motorcycle rider training courses, promotes a statewide motorcycle awareness program and uses fees collected from motorcyclists for motorcycle programs.

Improving highway safety statewide is a pillar of ITD’s strategic plan. Its three goals are to provide the safest transportation system possible, provide a mobility-focused system that drives economic opportunity, and to implement innovative business practices while investing in employees.

Published 10-26-2012