Grants Provided to Promote Highway Safety in Alabama

Even though they are ancient rivals in athletics, the University of Alabama and Auburn University are united when it comes to tackling the problem of car accidents in Alabama. And both schools certainly had something to cheer about last month when Governor Kay Ivey announced that they would receive a major boost in funding for their work on improving traffic safety through research and education.

As several media outlets reported in December, the two schools, along with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), were recently awarded more than $3 million in funds that were provided to the state by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“Sports are a serious subject in Alabama, but nothing is more serious than someone losing their life needlessly because someone did not obey our traffic safety laws,” Gov. Ivey said in a released statement. “I am grateful for the efforts of these two universities to use their resources to help save lives and prevent injuries on our highways.”

Alabama Car Accident Stats

The University of Alabama’s Center for Advanced Public Safety will receive $1.8 million in funds, according to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADEC). Those funds will help the Center to analyze traffic safety data, identify trends in crashes, and provide highly useful information about motor vehicle accidents in our state.

For instance, the Center helps to produce Alabama Crash Facts every year. The publication contains a wide range of traffic crash data. Law enforcement agencies and others can use that data to develop traffic safety campaigns and undertake other efforts to prevent crashes.

The statistics also underscore the need to improve safety on our roads. According to the latest edition of Alabama Crash Facts, a traffic crash is reported in our state roughly every four minutes. 

Highway Safety Tips Every Driver in Alabama Should Know

Auburn University will receive $1.17 million in the funds, and ADPH will get $384,820, according to ADEC. Auburn will use the funds to design and carry out multi-media campaigns like “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” The ADPH will put its new funding towards teaching drivers about how to safely install and use child safety seats.

Every driver in Alabama should know certain highway safety tips that can help them to avoid costly and potentially deadly crashes. In addition to using properly installed car seats for children and never drinking and driving, drivers should make sure to always: 

• Wear their seat belts.
• Follow all traffic safety laws, including speed limits.
• Obey traffic signs and signals.
• Put down their phones, tablets, and other distracting devices.
• Share the road safely with bicyclists and motorcycle riders.
• Pay attention to pedestrians, especially near schools.

Hopefully, with more funding, the work being done to educate the public about these safety tips will only increase in the years to come.

Our Alabama Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You

As Alabama car crash attorneys, we are fully committed at Stokes Stemle, LLC to protecting the rights of our clients and to pursuing the maximum amount of compensation for them. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an auto accident, we want to help. Contact us today to discuss your case in a free consultation.