New Report Details State Highway Programs During TEA-21; States Have Used Funding to Save Lives, Reduce Injuries

9/8/2003

From: Jonathan Adkins of the Governors Highway Safety Association, 202-789-0942

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) today released a new report highlighting state highway safety programs that have been funded by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).

TEA-21, which expires on Sept. 30 and has not yet been reauthorized, provides every state with increased funding for highway safety programs. This has allowed them to increase enforcement of safety laws, embark on ambitious educational campaigns, conduct more child safety seat inspections and undertake other safety-related activities.

Since TEA-21 was enacted in 1998, the states, working in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and local agencies, have achieved remarkable highway safety success. Most notable is that in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 the nation achieved its lowest motor vehicle fatality rate on record. In 2002, the number of injuries caused by traffic crashes reached an all-time low. Perhaps most encouraging from all recent data is the fact that in 2002, the number of children killed in traffic crashes was the lowest since the government began tracking traffic deaths in the 1960's. Not coincidentally, the nation achieved its highest seat belt usage rate ever in 2002 -- 79 percent, a dramatic increase from 62 percent, which is where the national usage stood shortly before TEA-21's enactment.

TEA-21 highway safety funds have been money well spent as evidenced by the historic gains made by the federal and state government. NHTSA estimates that for each percentage point increase in seat belt usage, 270 lives are saved, 7,000 injuries are prevented and more than $730 million dollars are saved in costs to society. TEA-21 funding has also been extremely cost-effective. In Nebraska, for example, state research has shown that for every TEA-21 dollar expended in the state, there was a public fund cost savings of $4.66.

"Survey of the States: TEA-21 Programs" includes submissions from 38 states and 2 territories. States reported on TEA-21 programs that they considered noteworthy or significant, so not every state reported on programs or activities in every category. However, despite this limitation, several conclusions can be reached about the type of highway safety programs that states have funded as a result of TEA-21.

Occupant Protection

Thirty-one states and two territories reported that TEA-21 grant funds were used to support high-visibility enforcement campaigns to encourage increased safety belt use. Local police departments received federal funds to pay officers overtime to conduct safety belt enforcement "waves." States also used funding for high-visibility public information and education efforts that reinforced the safety belt message.

Child Passenger Safety (CPS)

Twenty-nine states and two territories reported that TEA-21 funding had been used to improve child passenger safety. Federal funds were used for a wide variety of purposes such as to: support a state CPS coordinator, conduct child restraint clinics and safety checks, and establish permanent fitting stations. States also utilized federal funding to train thousands of CPS technicians the proper techniques for installing child restraints.

Impaired Driving

Thirty states and one territory indicated that they had used TEA-21 grant funds for impaired driving programs. Almost all of these states used these funds for impaired driving enforcement. States conducted sobriety checkpoints or saturation patrols, often in high-visibility waves accompanied by public information campaigns. States also funded equipment purchases for law enforcement to detect impaired drivers or for mobile breath testing vehicles.

GHSA strongly encourages Congress to quickly reauthorize TEA-21 so that state highway safety programs can continue to save lives and reduce injuries. Earlier this year, the Association released recommendations for TEA-21's reauthorization in a report titled "TEA-21: Ten Recommendations for Progress." The report is available online at http://www.ghsa.org

A summary of "Survey of the States: TEA-21 Programs" is available online at http://www.ghsa.org. To request a free copy of the full report, call 202-789-0942 or e-mail: headquarters@statehighwaysafety.org.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Indian Nation. Its members are appointed by their governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement highway safety plans.