Petaluma Police Score $105K Traffic-Safety Grant

PETALUMA, CA – The Petaluma Police Department recently was awarded a $105,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to be used over the next year for such enforcement and public-awareness efforts as impaired-driving checkpoints, child-seat and safety-belt compliance, speeding enforcement and DUI-warrant operations, officials said.

“The Petaluma Police Department is committed to keeping traffic safety a priority even while the department experiences significant staffing issues," said Special Operations Lt. Tim Lyons. "The traffic safety grant from the Office of Traffic Safety will help fund those operations that help educate and enforce traffic safety in our community.

"We are starting to see DUI arrests, DUI collisions and injury traffic collisions increase over the past five years. Distracted driving continues to be a cause of collisions, with recent surveys showing 30 percent of the motorists on their cell phones while driving.

"Ten people have died on our local roads during the past three years due to many reasons, so many areas of traffic safety will have to be addressed as we move forward with this grant," Lyons said. "As we enter the winter months, please slow down, wear your seat belt and make sure all your vehicle’s safety equipment (is) properly functioning.”

The grant from OTS, which runs through Sept. 20, 2019, will help the following:

• DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols to take suspected alcohol/drug-impaired drivers – and those unlicensed or with a revoked/suspended license – off the road.
• Traffic safety education presentations for youth and community members on distracted, impaired and teen driving, and bicycle/pedestrian safety.
• Patrols at intersections with increased incidents of pedestrian and bike collisions.
• Checking for seat belt and child safety seat compliance.
• Motorcycle safety operations in areas with high rider volume and where higher rate of motorcycle crashes occur.
• Speeding, red light and stop sign enforcement.
• Warrant service operations targeting multiple DUI offenders.
• Compilation of DUI “Hot Sheets” identifying repeat DUI offenders.
• Distracted-driving enforcement.

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