Virginia Highway Safety Office News Releases

March 31 is Deadline for Transportation Safety Grant Applications
Submissions Accepted Through DMV Website

RICHMOND - DMV's Virginia Highway Safety Office (VAHSO) is accepting applications to support programs throughout Virginia that strive to reduce traffic deaths and injuries. The deadline for transportation safety grant submissions is March 31, 2009.

The funding period for approved applications is October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010. Applicants selected for the program participate on a cost-reimbursement basis.

The VAHSO introduced a web-based application process last year that's easier and faster. Interested applicants are required to make submissions online at www.dmvNOW.com. To receive access to the online application, applicants should contact the project monitor assigned to their area. Visit http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/safety/resources/contacts.pdf for a list of project monitors. Project monitors can answer specific questions about the guidelines for grant applications.

Applications must support Virginia's primary transportation safety goal of reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries resulting from traffic crashes. For complete guidelines, go to http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/safety/index.asp.

Programs receiving grant funds work toward increasing safety belt and child seat usage, deterring aggressive and drunk driving, and promoting awareness of motorcycle safety, and the risks for teen and senior drivers. The VAHSO is responsible for administering the funds. The Board of Transportation Safety, with 12 members appointed by the Governor, recommends approval of the grant applications.

For example, one of last year's grant recipients was the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), a non-profit organization that operates Checkpoint Strikeforce, a broad-based paid radio and media campaign supported by high visibility sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols. Checkpoint Strikeforce strives to educate, identify and apprehend drunk drivers.

From October 1, 2007 through June 1, 2008, Checkpoint Strikeforce enforcement activities resulted in 1,116 DUI arrests, 1,229 safety belt citations and 256 child restraint citations. Thirty-six juveniles were cited for underage drinking, and there were 14,655 other arrests, citations and warnings.

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