SMC Sheriff Gets $207K For Traffic Safety Efforts

REDWOOD CITY, CA — The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office has received more than $200,000 in state grant funds to support traffic safety programs, including enforcement efforts targeting drivers who are distracted or under the influence.

In a news release Monday, officials outlined several areas where the county will utilize a $207,400 grant from the Office of Traffic Safety.

The grant funds will help pay for DUI checkpoints, saturation patrols, and high-visibility enforcement efforts focused on distracted driving and improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The sheriff's office also plans to focus on key behaviors associated with crashes, including speeding, failure to yield, running stop signs and red lights, and improper lane changes.

The funds will facilitate community presentations about traffic safety, along with officer training and recertification courses for conducting field sobriety tests and recognizing the signs of drug use. Officials are also planning a motorcycle safety initiative that will focus enforcement operations on areas and events that have historically seen high numbers of crashes.

The programs funded by the latest OTS grant are scheduled to run through next September.