MONTGOMERY - Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded an $800,000 grant to increase the presence of state troopers on Alabama’s highways and improve highway safety.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) will use the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program funds for year-round patrols to enforce traffic speeds and take dangerous drivers off of the roads.
“My desire is that all drivers on Alabama roads obey our traffic laws and arrive at their destination safely,” Ivey said.
“These funds will make it possible to keep more troopers on the highways to ensure motorists who disobey those laws are held accountable.”
The funds will enable troopers to increase patrols and check points in areas where traffic data indicates a high number of crashes relating to speeding and impaired or distracted driving occur.
Additional funds are expected to be awarded by Ivey for traffic safety campaigns and special enforcement details at the local level across the state.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is administering the grant from funds made available to the state from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Like Gov. Ivey, ADECA is committed to taking dangerous drivers off of the road and making our state’s highways safer,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.
“I commend Alabama State Troopers for their obligation and dedication in enforcing traffic laws, and ADECA is glad to be a link in this process that is helping save lives.”
Ivey notified ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor that the grant had been approved.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.