NHTSA Gives Millions in Grants to Help Fight Drunk Driving
- Occupant protection
- State traffic safety information systems
- Impaired driving countermeasures
- Distracted driving
- Motorcyclist safety
- State graduated driver licensing laws
- Non-motorized safety
Impaired Driving Countermeasure Grants are awarded from NHTSA to encourage “States to adopt and implement effective programs to reduce traffic safety problems that result from individuals driving motor vehicles while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or the combination of alcohol and drugs or that enacts alcohol ignition interlock laws.” In addition, NHTSA may grant specific “Impaired Driving Countermeasure Alcohol Ignition Interlock Laws” to help states to adopt and enforce laws regarding the mandatory installation of ignition interlock devices.
On February 13, 2020, NHTSA announced the release of $562 million in highway safety grants. These grants are given in the previously listed areas in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, United States Territories, and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. $297 million along was given to the State and Community Highway Safety Program to continue successful “high-visibility enforcement campaigns such as Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Additionally, $147.5 million was awarded to programs that focused on impaired driving countermeasures. California was one of the 10 states that received a NHTSA grant, according to the release. California received $50.1 million.