Sheriff, CHP Stations In Temecula Beefing Up Roadway Safety

TEMECULA, CA — Another Temecula law enforcement station announced it has received funding to help enforce traffic safety on local roadways.

On Tuesday, the Temecula-based Southwest Sheriff's Station reported it has received a $108,693 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to help "reduce deaths and injuries on city roads."

“These are trying times, and now more than ever, it is important that we are at the forefront of traffic safety,” Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Raemie Wood said. “This funding allows us to educate and enhance the safety of all residents.”

The 12-month grant is for the 2021 federal fiscal year that began Oct. 1 and runs through Sept. 30.

According to the Southwest Sheriff's Station, 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.
• 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,” Wood said.

Early last month, the Temecula Area California Highway Patrol announced it had received funding for a yearlong "regional traffic safety campaign" designed to reduce crashes and save lives. "Enhanced" enforcement areas include Interstates 15 and 215; state Routes 74, 79, and 371; and county unincorporated roads where the CHP Temecula Area office has jurisdiction, the agency said. The effort began Oct. 1.