NHTSA Awards Grants to Improve Roadway Safety

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has granted five non-governmental organizations $1.8 million for diverse initiatives aimed at improving safety on the nation's highways.

The recipients of the funding include Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, the National Association of State 911 Administrators, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National District Attorneys Association, and the National Organizations for Youth Safety.

The five cooperative agreements will provide resources for various projects. These include initiatives to reduce impaired driving, support the 911 network, enhance safety communications for young drivers, and offer technical assistance to state officials on an array of traffic safety issues.

Specifically, NHTSA funding will go to the following projects:

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America received a 3-year agreement for $300,000 to be used to develop a strategic report for grassroots outreach efforts aimed at reducing alcohol- and drug-impaired driving.

National Association of State 911 Administrators will receive $500,000 in 2019 to provide technical support and best practices to improve the effectiveness of the 911 networks. The long-term agreement with NHTSA is for five years.

National Conference of State Legislatures will receive nearly $242,000 this year with the objective of providing information and technical assistance related to reducing collision, injuries and fatalities. NHTSA’s long-term agreement with this group is for five years.

National District Attorneys Association will receive close to $600,000 in 2019 to support its National Traffic Law Center, which will develop prosecutor training and technical assistance in toxicology, Drug Recognition Experts, Standard Field Sobriety Testing, crash investigation, and alcohol breath testing devices. The long-term agreement is for five-year.

National Organizations for Youth Safety was given a two-year agreement for $150,000 to create and distribute social media messaging targeted to young drivers during the times of the year most hazardous for new drivers.

While initial funding for the projects is $1.8 million, NHTSA has stated that its long-term total commitment to the five groups could reach as much as $6.4 million in the future.