VA - Traffic Safety Grants Announced

[StlouisX50]

Traffic Safety Grants Announced Save Email Print
Richmond, Va.
Posted: 2:13 PM Aug 12, 2008
Last Updated: 2:13 PM Aug 12, 2008
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Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced more than $13.5 million in federal grants to support traffic safety programs in Virginia Tuesday. Grant recipients are local, non-profit and state organizations that strive to reduce the number of traffic deaths and injuries in the Commonwealth.
“Transportation safety grants help make Virginia communities safer,” says Kaine. “These grants enable localities, state agencies and non-profit organizations to support programs that address a wide range of transportation safety needs.”
Forty-four percent of the grant money was awarded to localities, 16 percent to non-profit organizations, 33 percent to state agencies and seven percent to higher education entities.
Programs receiving grant funds work toward increasing safety belt and child safety seat usage, deterring impaired and aggressive driving, and promoting awareness of risks for teen and senior drivers. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles' Virginia Highway Safety Office is responsible for administering the funds. The Board of Transportation Safety, with 12 members appointed by Kaine, recommends approval of the grant applications.
VAHSO works with safety partners throughout the Commonwealth to ensure yearly progress toward the goals of the state’s safety grants program. VAHSO establishes measurable objectives, and evaluates and provides feedback on the grant recipients’ performances on a quarterly basis. Future funding requests are determined on progress toward these established performance targets.
“Virginia’s safety partners demonstrate their dedication to reducing needless deaths and injuries resulting from traffic crashes,” says DMV Commissioner D.B. Smit. “Our goal is to target resources to projects that produce the biggest results in saving lives.”
One such safety partner is the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, 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.
For more information regarding grant opportunities with DMV, visit the website linked below.

[MagNeto]

That's all well an good now if we can just repeal the ridiculous radar detector law in VA.

My new slogan is...
"Virginia is for lovers but not for owners of radar detectors" !!!

[stealthJamal]

We should already be the safest state to drive in. Just ask any cop here, they will tell you that the harsh traffic laws we have here in Virginia to keep us safe. Virginia has the harshest traffic laws in the country so we must be the safest state to drive in, right? We must be the safest because of our laws, it couldn't be possible that another state with less strict laws could be safer! lol

[Asleeper]

We should already be the safest state to drive in. Just ask any cop here, they will tell you that the harsh traffic laws we have here in Virginia to keep us safe. Virginia has the harshest traffic laws in the country so we must be the safest state to drive in, right? We must be the safest because of our laws, it couldn't be possible that another state with less strict laws could be safer! lol

The problem with VA is the laws aren't strict enough. Forget about these slap on the wrist $2500/1yr in jail penalties for speeding 20mph+ PSL or changing lanes without signalling.

The penalties for traffic offenses should be like this:

Fail to signal before changing lanes=confiscation of automobile.
Every mph over 90 should be 1yr in jail, not one day.
Anything over 100=death penalty.
For more heinous crimes like using an RD=you and any passengers shot immediately on the side of the road.

Perhaps then VA would be the safest place to drive