MONTGOMERY— Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded grants totaling nearly $3.5 million to support law enforcement efforts to make Alabama roads safer by preventing injuries and fatalities.
The state’s four regional traffic safety offices will use the funds to cover overtime for local police officers and sheriff’s deputies conducting extra patrols and checkpoints during peak travel times targeting speeding, seat belt violations and drunken driving. Some funds will cover extra patrols during the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign from Aug. 17 to Sept. 3 and “Click It or Ticket” from May 21 to June 3, 2018.
“Drivers who get behind the wheel while impaired or disobey traffic laws present a danger to every motorist on the road,” Ivey said. “With this funding, I am pleased to support the local police officers and sheriffs’ deputies who work long hours to enforce the law and provide motorists with a clear reminder to drive safely and responsibly.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available to the state by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. ADECA manages a wide array of programs that support law enforcement and traffic safety, workforce development, energy conservation, water resource management, economic development and recreation.
“Gov. Ivey is a strong proponent of increased highway safety, especially during peak driving periods such as the summer and holidays,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is proud to join Gov. Ivey to continue our partnership with the four highway safety offices and local law enforcement agencies to help make Alabama’s roads safer for everyone traveling in our state.”
Ivey awarded the following grants:
• $770,717 to the Franklin County Commission for the North Central Alabama Highway Safety Office. The office serves Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Marion, Morgan, Pickens, Walker and Winston counties. The office also is using $155,000 in grant funds to continue its Child Passenger Safety program across the state. This program provides a three-day training course that will make more child restraint technicians available to educate parents on the proper installation of car safety seats.
• $742,283 to the city of Opelika for the East Central Alabama Highway Safety Office which serves Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Elmore, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Macon, Randolph, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega and Tallapoosa counties.
• $549,977 for the Southeast Alabama Regional Highway Safety Office at Enterprise State Community College. The office serves Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lowndes, Montgomery, Pike, Russell and Tuscaloosa counties.
• $539,853 to the Mobile County Commission for its Highway Traffic Safety Division which serves Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Perry, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox counties.
• $720,000 to Auburn University to develop, produce and deliver multimedia advertising materials emphasizing “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” in hotspot areas where crashes often occur.
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Contact: Russell Sellers, Mike Presley