U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Announces Grants of $54.6 Million to Increase Seat Belt Use |
|---|
Topics: Rodney E. Slater
|
NHTSA
November 2, 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHTSA 55-99
Tuesday, November 2, 1999
Contact: NHTSA, Tim Hurd, (202) 366-9550
U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today announced that 33 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will share $54.6 million in incentive grants for increasing seat belt use.
"These funds are being distributed as we remember our valiant friend, the late Sen. John Chafee, chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee," Secretary Slater said. "Sen. Chafee sponsored the legislation creating this program because of his deep concern for both public health and traffic safety. He saw this as a way to give states an additional incentive to increase seat belt use, thereby saving lives and federal medical costs."
Secretary Slater said that the grants underscore the department's commitment to safety, which is President Clinton's and Vice President Gore's highest transportation priority. Seat belts are the most effective safety device in vehicles and would save thousands more lives if everyone buckled up.
This is the second year that incentive grants have been awarded to states that have either obtained a state seat belt usage rate above the national average or that have increased overall usage rates from the previous year. The national seat belt use rate is currently 70 percent, up from 58 percent in 1994.
The grants are authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21) which President Clinton signed into law on June 9, 1998. The act provides for more than $1.2 billion in incentive grants to increase seat belt use and prevent drunk driving - $500 million in incentive grants states over five years to increase seat belt use and another $700 million in incentive grants over six years for states to enact and enforce tough laws to prevent drunk driving.
The amount of the grant for each state was calculated based upon savings in medical costs to the federal government that result from increased seat belt use rates. The award amounts range from $7,000 to $16 million.
Thirteen states and Puerto Rico exceeded the national average use rate in 1997 and 1998. Twenty states and the District of Columbia qualified by increasing their 1998 seat belt use rate above a base rate.
Funds provided as seat belt use incentive grants may be used to support a variety of programs ranging from encouraging seat belt use and special traffic enforcement programs to highway construction activities.
The following table lists the states receiving grants and their grant amounts.
Section 157 Incentive Grants
Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000
| State | FY 1999 | FY 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $25,400 | $9,000 |
| Arizona | $941,100 | $0 |
| Arkansas | $205,700 | $179,400 |
| California | $16,768,300 | $15,705,300 |
| Colorado | $472,700 | $854,500 |
| Connecticut | $48,400 | $1,613,400 |
| Delaware | $0 | $6,900 |
| D.C. | $220,700 | $417,900 |
| Georgia | $2,113,500 | $3,014,200 |
| Hawaii | $494,200 | $375,400 |
| Idaho | $0 | $218,300 |
| Illinois | $83,100 | $1,007,300 |
| Indiana | $92,700 | $1,755,300 |
| Iowa | $790,900 | $837,800 |
| Kansas | $199,200 | $266,900 |
| Louisiana | $680,100 | $284,100 |
| Maine | $338,500 | $11,000 |
| Maryland | $724,800 | $2,950,800 |
| Michigan | $290,100 | $1,075,700 |
| Minnesota | $100,500 | $0 |
| Mississippi | $135,800 | $1,051,000 |
| Missouri | $986,100 | $0 |
| Montana | $148,300 | $131,600 |
| Nebraska | $0 | $39,600 |
| Nevada | $195,700 | $687,000 |
| New Hampshire | $43,700 | $0 |
| New Jersey | $603,100 | $913,100 |
| New Mexico | $1,585,000 | $900,200 |
| New York | $3,453,700 | $3,920,700 |
| North Carolina | $5,644,200 | $3,239,500 |
| North Dakota | $88,400 | $0 |
| Ohio | $1,237,700 | $0 |
| Oklahoma | $1,465,000 | $0 |
| Oregon | $1,496,200 | $1,538,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $0 | $964,500 |
| South Carolina | $0 | $477,300 |
| South Dakota | $410,700 | $0 |
| Texas | $7,407,200 | $5,325,700 |
| Utah | $141,400 | $221,700 |
| Vermont | $41,500 | $0 |
| Virginia | $43,700 | $1,258,200 |
| Washington | $2,641,000 | $2,433,900 |
| West Virginia | $140,500 | $0 |
| Wisconsin | $0 | $549,900 |
| Wyoming | $17,400 | $0 |
| Puerto Rico | $131,800 | $375,200 |
| TOTAL | $52,648,000 | $54,610,700 |
States that exceeded the national average use rate in both 1997 and 1998 are in bold.
Six states did not receive incentive grant awards in fiscal years 1999 and 2000: Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Tennessee.