Full Notification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                               October 6, 2022             

The Santa Maria Police Department Awarded $340,000 Grant to Deter Unsafe Behaviors, Increase Safety on Roads
                                               
Santa Maria, Calif. – The Santa Maria Police Department will increase patrols throughout the community and provide other traffic safety programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on roads.
 
This grant funding allows us to support our ongoing traffic safety efforts in the community, our intent is to stop the most unlawful and dangerous behaviors that put people at risk and create an environment where everyone feels safe traveling.
 
The grant will provide additional programs and resources, including:
 

• DUI checkpoints and patrols focused on stopping suspected impaired drivers.
• High visibility distracted driving enforcement operations targeting drivers in violation of California’s hands-free cell phone law.
• Enforcement operations focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.
• Enforcement operations focused on top violations that cause crashes: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.

• Community presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, bicycle and pedestrian safety.
• Collaborative enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies.
• Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

 
The grant program will run through September 2023.
 
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Prepared by: Traffic Sergeant Michael McGehee