Federal Highway Safety Grants Go Mostly Unclaimed Over Stringent Qualifications

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

Aside from funding issues with the U.S. Highway Trust Fund, state governments are having a difficult time applying — and receiving — federal grants to make their part of the system safer.

USA Today reports grants for graduated licensing for teens, ignition interlocks for DUI offenders, and distracted driving prevention have gone largely unclaimed. Though several states have laws on the books that would merit the boost, the qualifications necessary for each grant and the two-year time frame for each grant are too much of an obstacle to make the attempt, let alone be rejected by the federal government.

As a result, no states received grants for graduated licensing. New Jersey came close by mandating restrictions until the driver is 18 — which the grant requires — but the rest of the state’s GDL legislation failed to match up with the rest of the grant’s requirements.

Additionally, four states qualified for the ignition interlock grant by meeting the requirement that all first-time offenders must use interlocks for no less than 30 days.

Finally, Connecticut was the only state to win a grant for distracted driving prevention by imposing minimum fines that escalate with every new offense, as well as warn of the issue in driver’s licensing exams.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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  • It's no wonder why the fund is bankrupt. A large amount of the money goes to non-road uses. There is around 30% misallocation. Not a single dime of that money should be going to bike paths. Bikers should be taxed for bike paths. Congress should simply use a graduated tax on gas - instead of a locked 18.4 cents - which responds to inflation. Just treat it as a tax on drivers and it won't go insolvent. But stop letting liberals dip into it to fund their personal projects. Bike paths are a waste and lower productivity/efficiency.

    • See 27 previous
    • Landcrusher Landcrusher on Aug 05, 2014

      @mcs Vulp, That's incorrect as far as my local experience goes, but nice how you ignore all the other points and throw out that loser. The reality is that the paths disappear because there is inadequate maintenance money available. Combine that with liability and low use rates and it's a no brainer to not renew all but the most popular bike paths. You see, it's a good idea when it's new and it makes the pols look good, but after there are many irritated drivers and pitifully few riders, no pol at any level is going to push for funds. The only paths that have stuck around here are along waterways and former rail paths and around parks. While some have use for commuters, mostly they are used for recreation. Best money spent for cycle commuters was the bike route signs that showed cyclists how to navigate through neighborhoods instead of driving along the major thoroughfares.

  • LALoser LALoser on Aug 04, 2014

    In Honolulu the everyday observance is cyclists in a busy roadway, then come upon a red light, shoot onto the sidewalk...pedestrians and people waiting at bus stops are invisible, blast thru the crosswalk back onto the road. All of this without a glace to the side. They are used to people watching for them I guess.

    • See 2 previous
    • Mcs Mcs on Aug 04, 2014

      >> In Honolulu the everyday observance is cyclists in a busy roadway, then come upon a red light, shoot onto the sidewalk Of course, as we all know, motorists never run red lights, blast through crosswalks, make illegal turns... no, you'd never see a motorist violating a single law - never happens.

  • 28-Cars-Later 28-Cars-Later on Aug 04, 2014

    So much pork it feels like a hearty breakfast. "state to win a grant for distracted driving prevention by imposing minimum fines that escalate with every new offense, as well as warn of the issue in driver’s licensing exams." So CT gets paid for what its supposed to be doing in the first place, ya know, governing?

    • Matador Matador on Aug 04, 2014

      Yup. They get paid money so they can charge people. ------------------ I'm sure the politicians have our best interests at heart! After all, name one case in America where a politician has ever bowed to a special interest group, high-level donors, or anything like that. It never happens.

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