BHPD Receives $115,000 Grant For Traffic Enforcement

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – A $115,000 grant has been awarded to the Beverly Hills Police Department from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The grant will allow the Department to implement a one-year program of special traffic enforcement and public traffic safety awareness. BHPD officers believe this will enable them to reduce and prevent injuries and deaths that result from traffic collisions, according to a City of Beverly Hills press release.

In 2010, traffic deaths dropped to a historic low and in 2015, the number of persons killed on roadways climbed nearly 17 percent across the state, with 3,429 fatalities in 2015. Pedestrian and bicycle rider fatalities now comprise nearly 25 percent of all traffic deaths, the press release said. Contributing factors to this statistic are drivers who are distracted as a result of technology and drivers who are impaired by alcohol and/or drugs. This grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these and other devastating problems such as speeding and collisions at intersections, according to the statement.

According to OTS Director Rhonda Craft, “Unsafe behaviors account for 94 percent of traffic crashes,” and “This grant emphasizes the two most effective ways to change behaviors – education and enforcement.” Beverly Hills Police Department, will use the grant money to help keep Beverly Hills streets safe by conducting:

• Educational presentations
• DUI checkpoints
• DUI saturation patrols
• Bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement
• Motorcycle safety enforcement
• Distracted driving enforcement
• Seat belt and child safety seat enforcement
• Speed, red light, and stop sign enforcement

The Beverly Hills Police Department and OTS emphasize that driving under the influence is a very dangerous and unsafe activity. Driving under the influence doesn’t just mean alcohol – prescription medications and other drugs, including some prescription medications – can make a driver impaired and can result in a DUI arrest, according to the press release.

Funding for this program was made possible by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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