THSO Traffic Safety grants announced

Last week, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) announces $24.5 million in federal grant funds to be distributed statewide from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the 2022 – 2023 Federal Fiscal Year.

“The purpose of this funding is to support the various programs and campaigns necessary to improve the safety of Tennessee roadways,” said THSO Director Buddy Lewis. “The THSO values every partner sharing our mission to save lives. Without their participation, our initiatives would be ineffective.”

Over 350 federal grants exceeding $24 million in total have been awarded to law enforcement agencies and highway safety partners across Tennessee. Approximately $3 million in media grant funds will be allocated for statewide highway safety education and public awareness campaigns.

Several law enforcement agencies in Anderson County received grant funding. Here is a quick summary of who got what.

Locally, most of the grants received in Anderson County were for community-based traffic safety and education efforts. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office received $22,000 for those efforts, while the Clinton Police Department received $10,000, and the Oak Ridge Police Department $23,000.

ASAP of Anderson received $54,000 for alcohol and impaired driving education in Anderson County.

The Rocky Top Police Department received $5000 for high-visibility enforcement of traffic safety laws.

The Oak Ridge Police Department received a separate grant for $20,000 for a Network Coordinator, and the 7^th Judicial District Attorney’s Office received a grant totaling $285,051.51 to pay for its special DUI prosecutor, an Assistant District Attorney specializing in primarily impaired driving cases.

Every year, traffic safety advocates, non-profit organizations, emergency response personnel, law enforcement, district attorneys’ offices, and other state agencies across Tennessee seek funding through grant applications offered by the THSO. Applicants who meet the required data-driven criteria and highway safety standards are awarded grant funds to support the THSO’s mission to reduce traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities.

Click here to view the list of grant awards and recipients: https://bit.ly/3CdiiaA