National Priority Safety Programs

The formula grant program is designed to encourage States to address national highway safety priorities to improve traffic safety for travelers using public roadways for areas identified by Congress which includes �Occupant Protection, State Traffic Safety Information System Improvements, Impaired Driving Countermeasures, Distracted Driving, Motorcyclist Safety, Nonmotorized Safety, Preventing Roadside Deaths, and Driver and Officer Safety Education.

With the exception of the Motorcyclist Safety Program, the 50 States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas, and Virgin Islands) are eligible for funding. Under the Motorcyclist Safety Program, the 50 States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are eligible for grant awards.

Criteria outlined in statute and regulation and vary for each program. 405(b) Occupant Protection: meet requirements for a high or low seat belt use categories. 405(c) State Traffic Safety Information System Improvements: have traffic records coordinating committee; designated TRCC coordinator; an approved State traffic records strategic plan; and demonstrate quantitative measurable progress to program attribute of accuracy, completeness, timeliness, uniformity, accessibility or integration. 405(d) Impaired Driving Countermeasures: meet requirements for low-range state, mid-range state, or high-range state; State can also receive funding for adoption and enforcement a mandatory alcohol-ignition interlock laws; and 24/7 sobriety programs. 405(e) Distracted Driving Grant: enacts and enforces a law that prohibits texting while driving or prohibits youth cell phone use while driving and/or test for distracted driving on the state�s driver licensing exam. 405(f) Motorcyclist Safety: meet 2 of the following criteria; motorcycle rider training course, motorcyclist awareness program, reduction of fatalities and crashes involving motorcycles, impaired driving program, reduction of fatalities and accidents involving impaired motorcyclists, and fees collected from motorcyclists for motorcycle programs; and helmet use for riders under 18. 405(g) Nonmotorized Safety: if the State's annual combined nonmotorized road user fatalities exceed 15 percent of the State's total annual crash...

Statutory Formula: Title 23, Part 1300, Subpart 12,Public Law 117-58.N/AFor all program under Section 405, the Federal share of the costs of the activities funded using amounts from grants awarded under this subsection may not exceed 80 percent for each fiscal year for which a State receives a grant.

Fiscal year 2016: 47 States, DC and 2 Territories were awarded Occupant Protection grants; 50 States, DC, PR and 4 territories received Data grants; 50 States, DC and PR received Impaired Driving grants; 5 States were awarded Ignition Interlock grants; 1 State qualified for a Distracted driving grant; 45 States and PR received Motorcyclist Safety grants; and no States qualified for a graduated Driver Licensing Law grant. 47 States, DC and 2 Territories were awarded Occupant Protection grants; 50 States, DC, PR and 4 territories received Data grants; 50 States, DC and PR received Impaired Driving grants; 5 States were awarded Ignition Interlock grants; 1 State qualified for a Distracted driving grant; 45 States and PR received Motorcyclist Safety grants; and no States qualified for a graduated Driver Licensing Law grant. Fiscal year 2017: Enforcement of State's seat belt and child restraint laws, impaired driving laws, motorcycle awareness and training, training in pedestrian and bicycle safety, enforcement of distracted driving laws and improving State data systems to core highway safety databases, which include crash, citation and adjudication, driver, EMS or injury...