The Ohio Traffic Safety Office has awarded over $24 million for statewide programming to improve traffic safety and reduce traffic-related fatalities, including in Northeast Ohio, according to a news release.
A total of 189 grants was awarded with 159 grants going toward 145 different local agencies in 63 counties, and 30 grants going toward statewide initiatives.
All grants support the efforts of safety partners statewide and focus on traffic safety priority areas, including impaired driving, seat belt usage, speeding, distracted driving, youthful driving, and motorcycle safety, according to the release.
The traffic safety grant funds were directed to the Ohio Traffic Safety Office from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the release said.
Receiving grants were:
• Elyria Police Department, Impaired Driving/Selective Traffic Enforcement, $57,243
• Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, Impaired Driving/Selective Traffic Enforcement, $100,179
• Lorain Police Department, Dedicated Traffic Enforcement Program, $83,160
• Lorain Police Department, Impaired Driving/Selective Traffic Enforcement, $55,536
• North Ridgeville Police Department, Impaired Driving/Selective Traffic Enforcement, $58,098
• Lorain County General Health District, Safe Communities, $71,500
• Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Impaired Driving/Selective Traffic Enforcement, $48,431
• Erie County Health Department, Safe Communities, $38,500
• Sandusky Police Department, Summer Holiday Enforcement Program, $16,919
Also, the Lorain Police Department will receive an additional $96,000 grant for traffic safety, according to the release.
“These grants will support the ongoing efforts in Ohio to save lives and reduce injuries on our roads,” said Gov. Mike DeWine in the release. “From raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving to increasing enforcement to take impaired drivers off the streets, these programs will contribute to making the roads safer for everyone.”
“Ohio is on track to see a decline in fatal crashes this year, but we have much more work to do,” said Emily Davidson, director of the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, in the release. “In recent years, Ohio has seen encouraging improvements in some safety areas, such as an increase in seat belt use and a decrease in distracted driving. These grant funds will allow us to keep making progress.
