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Thursday, October 14, 2010

OHIO, Sheriff receives grants for traffic safety

OFF THE WIRE
http://www.circlevilleherald.com/articles/2010/10/09/news/doc4cb00fc8e734a732538518.txt Sheriff receives grants for traffic safety By TRISH BENNETT STAFF WRITER Published: October 2010 9:08 AM EDT PICKAWAY COUNTY - High-visibility overtime for peak seasons and the Safe Communities program through the Pickaway County Sheriff's Office will continue this year with the award of funding Oct. 1 through the Ohio Traffic Safety Office.

The $35,000 traffic safety grant will be used to provide extra patrol and enforcement zones throughout 2010-11 through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to focus on traffic safety priority areas such as restraint use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety and youthful drivers.

The $76,656 Safe Communities grant will help continue the education efforts that began with the program in March 2010 and has promoted traffic safety initiatives such as "Click It Or Ticket" and "Over The Limit, Under Arrest." The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office has received an HVEO grant over the past several years due to the amount of traffic fatalities in Pickaway County. The continued efforts of the Sheriff’s Office to provide traffic safety initiatives is one of the reasons for the annual grant.

"We are seeing a decrease in the amount of fatalities in Pickaway County," said Sheriff Dwight Radcliff. "However, our goal will always be to eliminate the loss of any citizen to traffic related crashes. Through partnering with other members in our community, working to educate the public and to provide high visibility of our deputies during critical times of the year, we hope to continue the trend of decreased injuries and fatalities in Pickaway County."

The partnership with the Safe Communities program, he said, is one opportunity to participate in education, particularly for younger drivers.

"The cost of preventing a traffic crash is far less than the cost of a life or property resulting from a traffic-related incident," he said.

Teresa Carper, director of the Safe Communities of Pickaway County, said the program will focus on seat belt safety, impaired driving, motorcycle safety and teen driving in 2011.

"I am excited about working with our current partners and the opportunity to form new partnerships to promote traffic safety in Pickaway County," Carper said.

For more information on traffic safety initiatives and the Safe Communities program, contact the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office 420-5794. For more information on national traffic safety initiatives, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Web site at www.nhtsa.gov.