Friday, September 10, 2010

CALIFORNIA: Grants aid CHP motorcycle safety campaign

OFF THE WIRE
http://www.the-signal.com/section/114/article/33304/ Grants aid CHP motorcycle safety campaign
Source: California Highway Patrol
Posted: September 8, 2010 1:57 p.m. Updated: September 8, 2010 1:57 p.m.
SANTA FE SPRINGS -- Los Angeles County continues to have a high rate of motorcycle collision deaths and injuries within the California Highway Patrol's jurisdiction.
To assist in its efforts to combat this problem, the CHP has been awarded a two-year grant.
"The number of motorcycle crashes and fatalities in our county is troubling," said CHP Captain Dan Minor, commander of the Santa Fe Springs Area office. "With the help of this grant and the cooperation of motorcyclists and motorists alike, hopefully we can reverse this trend."
The goal of this grant is two-fold: first, reduce motorcycle-involved fatal collisions statewide in four counties by 5 percent from a 2007 baseline of 187 to 177; second, reduce the number of statewide motorcycle-involved injury collisions by 5 percent from the 2007 baseline of 5,156 to 4,898 by Sept. 30, 2011.
Officers from the CHP's Santa Fe Springs Area office will implement traffic safety programs focusing on motorcycle fatalities and injuries throughout the county. The project will encompass enhanced enforcement including aerial support and a public education campaign.
On Thursday, Sept. 9, seven CHP patrol cars and motorcycles will patrol area freeways; state routes 60 and 91; and Interstates 605 and 5.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.