WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s Office on Highway Safety has been awarded over $340,000 in fiscal year 2015 funds by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support traffic and vehicle safety programs throughout the state.

“These federal funds will help support critical traffic safety programs and enhance safety conditions for Rhode Island drivers and pedestrians,” said Senator Reed.

“These commonsense investments in prevention and awareness will help reduce accidents and make our Ocean State roads safer for everyone,” said Senator Whitehouse.

“I am excited to announce these federal funds, which will be used to educate and empower motorists to make smart decisions, and will help make Rhode Island's roads safer,” said Congressman Langevin.

“I’m delighted Rhode Island received these federal funds to keep motorists safe,” said Congressman Cicilline.  “Rhode Islanders travel daily to work, school and shopping centers on our state’s roads and highways, and we must do everything we can to keep the drivers of our local economy and communities safe.”

“The safety of the traveling public is RIDOT’s top priority, and we thank the Congressional delegation for their hard work in securing these funds,” RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. “The traffic safety campaigns conducted by our Office on Highway Safety are proven best practices in helping to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on the road. We look forward to working with all of our partners to continue this investment, which ultimately helps save lives.”

The federal grant funds may be use to improve prevention efforts in traffic safety priority areas such as seat belt use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety, and educating young drivers. The programs awarded funding include:

Impaired Driving Countermeasures: $215,208

Occupant Protection: $68,905

State Traffic Safety Information Systems: $59,978

Motorcyclist Safety: $6,781

TOTAL: $340,873

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