Oceanside CA— The safety of everyone traveling is the focus of a grant awarded to the Oceanside Police Department. The $ 353,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) will assist in the Oceanside Police Department efforts to reduce deaths and injuries on Oceanside roads.
“These are trying times, and now more than ever, it is important that we are at the forefront of traffic safety,” Oceanside Police Sergeant Rick Davis said.
Oceanside Police Chief McCoy stated, “Our community has seen far too many serious injury and Fatal collisions since 2017. Many could have been prevented by motorists slowing down, driving defensively, and avoiding the mixing of alcohol and motor vehicle operation. The Oceanside Police Department is grateful to receive this OTS grant to continue funding our safe driving initiatives. This funding allows us to educate and enhance the safety of all residents. We also ask for the assistance of the public in helping to keep our roadways safe by avoiding risky behaviors while operating motor vehicles such as speeding, engaging aggressive maneuvers, and driving while intoxicated.”
The one-year grant is for the 2021 federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021.
The grant will fund a variety of traffic safety programs, including:

• Patrols with emphasis on alcohol and drug-impaired driving prevention.
• Patrols with emphasis on awareness and education of California’s hands-free cell phone law.
• Patrols with emphasis on education of traffic rights for bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Patrols with emphasis on awareness and education of primary causes of crashes: excess speed, failure to yield, failure to stop at stop signs/signals, improper turning/lane changes.

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

“Through education and behavior changes, we hope to create an environment that is safe and equitable for all road users in our community,” Sergeant Davis said.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.