Section 405(b) occupant protection grant (23 C.F.R. & 1300.21; 23 U.S.C. & 405(b)) - grant to support certain costs of state occupant protection programs consistent with 23 C.F.R. & 1300.21(f)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts received a $243,387.66 federal Formula Grant award from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under the National Priority Safety Programs (CFDA 20.616). The grant funding supports the state's occupant protection programs and certain costs associated with implementing evidence-based strategies to reduce motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities. These funds are available to qualifying states that meet statutory requirements for high or low seat belt use categories. The grant award period spans October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2027 and will allow the state to enhance its traffic safety information systems, provide law enforcement training, and conduct public education campaigns to promote seat belt usage and other critical highway safety priorities.

Section 405(b) funding is available to qualifying states that meet statutory requirements for a high or low seat belt use categories. These funds are apportioned using statutory apportionment formula. These funds are provided to the state and territorial highway safety offices based on an approved triennial highway safety plan that details problem identification, public participation and engagement, performance measures, countermeasure strategies for programming funds and an approved annual grant application that details planned projects using identified countermeasure strategies for programming funds to help reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crashes.