U. S. Transportation Secretary Mineta Announces $33 Million in Federal Grants to States To Deter Impaired Driving, Increase Safety Belt Use

Topics:  Norman Mineta

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
April 19, 2004

NHTSA 17-04
Monday, April 19, 2004
Contact: Tim Hurd
Telephone: (202) 366-9550

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced incentive grants totaling $33 million to states for programs to combat alcohol-impaired driving and to increase the use of safety belts and child restraints.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data show that safety belts and child restraints save lives. NHTSA estimates that more than 14,000 lives are saved by safety belts each year and another 300 lives per year are saved by child restraints. The safety belt use rate in the United States is 79 percent. The child safety seat use rate for infants is 99 percent, the rate for those aged 1-3 is 94 percent, and the rate for children 4 to 7 (booster seat age) is 83 percent.

Alcohol-related fatalities totaled 17,419 in 2002, representing an average of one alcohol-related fatality every 30 minutes. 

"These grants will be used by states to address our key concerns of safety belt usage and impaired driving, which are key to improving safety on America's highways," said Secretary Mineta.

"Though we have made progress on safety belt usage, the work before us is even harder and these grants are vital for our success," Secretary Mineta said. "States will continue their fight against impaired driving through the funding of results-oriented programs."

These grants were authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), and continued under the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004. This is the sixth year for "Section 405" occupant protection program grant awards. The 35 jurisdictions (31 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and two U.S. territories) that have complied with the requirements of the program will share FY 2004 grants totaling more than $11 million.

These grants are used to implement strategic highway safety programs, at the state and local community levels. Section 405 funds may be used for programs such as enforcing safety belt and child passenger safety laws, and child safety seat inspection stations.  

Among other uses, Section 410 funds can be used to enforce impaired driving laws, conduct public information campaigns, and provide training to law enforcement personnel, prosecutors and judges.

This is the seventh year for grant awards under the "Section 410" alcohol-impaired driving prevention program.  The 36 states that have complied with the requirements of the program will share FY 2004 grants totaling more than $22 million. A state becomes eligible for an incentive grant by meeting Congressionally-specified criteria leading to tougher enforcement of drunk driving laws or evidence of the state's effectiveness in cracking down on drunk driving.

A table listing the amounts and types of grants awarded to states follows: