DOWNEY – The Downey Police Department has been awarded a $169,000 state grant for a year-long program of special enforcements and public awareness efforts to prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries. 

“Our goal is to reduce the overall number of injury traffic collisions in the city of Downey through a combined effort of increased pedestrian/driver education and awareness, as well as directed enforcement activity that focuses on violations of the California Vehicle Code that are directly attributed to causing these collisions,” said Police Chief Carl Charles. 

Specifically, the grant will fund:

•educational presentations;
•DUI checkpoints;
•DUI saturation patrols;
•distracted driving enforcement;
•seat belt and child safety seat enforcement;
•bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement;
•speed, red light and stop sign enforcement;
•compilation of DUI “hot sheets,” identifying worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders;
•and specialized DUI and drugged driving training. 

After falling dramatically between 2006 and 2010, the number of persons killed and injured in traffic collisions has been slowly rising, authorities said. 

“Particularly alarming are recent increases in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities, the growing dangers of distracting technologies, and the emergence of drug-impaired driving as a major problem,” Downey Police said. “This grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these and other devastating problems such as drunk driving, speeding and crashes at intersections.”

The grant was awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). 

“Overall, California’s roadways are among the safest in the nation,” said OTS director Rhonda Craft. “But to meet future mobility, safety and accessible transportation objectives, we have to reverse this recent trend in order to reach our common goal -- zero deaths on our roadways. 

“The Office of Traffic Safety and the Downey Police Department want to work with everyone to create a culture of traffic safety across Downey and the state.”