The Union City Police Department Receives Grant For
Special Traffic Enforcement and Crash Prevention
The Union City Police Department has been awarded a $141,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long program of special enforcements and public awareness efforts to prevent traffic related deaths and injuries. The Union City Police Department will use the funding as part of the city’s ongoing commitment to keep our roadways safe and improve the quality of life through both enforcement and education.
We are excited to partner with the California Office of Traffic Safety to provide intervention and enforcement in an effort keep our community safe. Our goal for these interventions is both a short and long term reduction in fatal, serious, and overall number of collisions in Union City said Captain G. Lopez-Vaughan.
After falling to a ten year low in 2010, the number of persons killed on roadways has climbed nearly 17 percent across the state, with 3,429 fatalities in 2015. Particularly alarming is the rise in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities that now comprise nearly 25 percent of all traffic deaths, along with the growing dangers of distracting technologies and the emergence of drug-impaired driving. This grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these and other devastating problems such as speeding and crashes at intersections.
“Unsafe behaviors account for 94 percent of traffic crashes,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “This grant emphasizes the two most effective ways to change behaviors – education and enforcement. The Union City Police Department, with assistance from the Office of Traffic Safety, will use these tools to help keep Union City streets safe.”
Activities that the grant will fund include:
- Educational presentations
- DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols
- Complete advanced impaired driving recognition and training
- Bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement
- Distracted driving enforcement
- Seat belt and child safety seat enforcement
- Participate in National Teen Safety, Motorcycle Safety, Bicycle Safety and Pedestrian Safety campaigns
While alcohol remains the worst offender for DUI crashes, we support the new effort from OTS that aims to drive awareness that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” Prescription medications and Marijuana can also be impairing by themselves, or in combination with alcohol, and can result in a DUI arrest.
Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
P.I.O Sergeant Steve Mendez (English and Spanish)
510-675-5243 (Direct Line)
[email protected] (Email)
For Traffic or specific grant related questions please contact:
Traffic Sergeant J. Stewart
510-471-1365 (Main Line)
[email protected] (Email)
