U.S. Transportation Secretary Mineta Announces Grants of $38.2 Million to Increase Seat Belt Use
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced that 43 states will share approximately $38.2 million in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grants for states that develop innovative projects to increase seat belt use.
"I am pleased to see these funds provided to states to promote seat belt use," Secretary Mineta said. "Everyone should buckle up for every trip because seat belts are the best protection available in a crash. Their use improves safety and can prevent injury and death."
According to NHTSA, seat belts are the most effective safety device in vehicles and would save thousands more lives annually if everyone buckled up. In 2000, seat belt use in the United States was about 71 percent.
The goal of this grant program is to find creative new approaches to increase seat belt use across the nation with a major focus on highly visible enforcement of seat belt laws, coupled with public information and education.
The grants are authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The Act provides for $500 million over five years for states to increase seat belt use and another $700 million over six years for states to enact and enforce tough laws to prevent alcohol-impaired driving.
The innovative project grants were awarded competitively. All 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico were eligible to apply. The grant amounts for fiscal year 2001 range from $204,000 to nearly $2.9 million.
Maryland and Ohio this year are receiving these funds for the first time.
The following table lists the states receiving grants and their grant amounts.
Fiscal Year 2001 Section 157 Grants to Increase Seat Belt Use
$ 38,157,201
State
Award Amount Alabama
$1,095,118 Alaska
$744,740 Arizona
$487,400 Colorado
$686,000 Connecticut
$428,000 Florida
$1,999,293 Georgia
$1,226,078 Hawaii
$324,918 Idaho
$776,316 Illinois
$939,655 Indiana
$807,100 Iowa
$304,000 Kansas
$250,000 Kentucky
$834,775 Louisiana
$735,000 Maine
$605,055 Maryland*
$1,529,172 Massachusetts
$355,000 Michigan
$1,685,635 Minnesota
$631,500 Mississippi
$678,795 Missouri
$426,850 Montana
$204,000 Nebraska
$294,590 Nevada
$288,130 New Hampshire
$238,126 New Jersey
$976,475 New Mexico
$600,000 New York
$2,898,962 North Carolina
$1,500,000 North Dakota
$531,500 Ohio*
$871,389 Pennsylvania
$2,254,635 Rhode Island
$788,300 South Carolina
$937,178 Tennessee
$1,030,168 Texas
$1,914,541 Utah
$455,643 Vermont
$596,061 Virginia
$820,000 Washington
$1,000,000 West Virginia
$524,800 Wisconsin
$1,882,303 Total
* Received this grant for the first time.