(Montpelier) – Peg Buda, Safe Communities Coordinator, announced that the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s (ODPS) Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) awarded $25,000 in federal traffic safety funding to Williams County Health Department for federal fiscal year 2013.
“Partnerships are critical to the success of any safety effort and Safe Communities is committed to working with law enforcement and other safety partners to address these traffic safety concerns in Williams County,” said Peg Buda.
Safe Communities has identified that although 2011 was the safest year on record overall for Ohio, Williams County has already had an increase of one fatality in 2012 compared to 2011 and three of this year’s fatalities have been alcohol related. Safe Communities programs work to create awareness and help determine solutions to traffic issues causing these injuries and deaths.
To save lives and improve the quality of life for our citizens, Safe Communities will focus on traffic safety messaging, public awareness on alcohol impairment, motorcycle safety awareness and working with local high schools with seat belt usage and distracted driving awareness. Williams County Safe Communities will continue to partner with local law enforcement and county agencies and community members through educational and awareness events with the grant funds.
The funds are passed through OCJS from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support the efforts of safety partners statewide and focus on traffic safety priority areas such as restraint use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety and young drivers.
Competitive grant proposals are accepted and reviewed by OCJS. The FFY 2013 competitive grant process solicited grant proposals from state agencies, non-profit organizations, colleges, universities, hospitals, political subdivisions and other interested groups within selected Ohio counties and jurisdictions (based upon the number of fatal crashes).
For more information about the Office of Criminal Justice Services and statewide efforts to improve safety on Ohio’s roadways, log on to http://www.ocjs.ohio.gov.