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 Department of Transportation Maryland Office of Planning and Finance Division received a $204,104.60 Formula Grant award from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (CFDA 20.616 National Priority Safety Programs) on October 1, 2023. This grant supports the implementation of Maryland's occupant protection and highway safety programs consistent with federal regulations. Key activities funded include law enforcement training, public education campaigns, data system enhancements, and staffing for the Maryland Highway Safety Office. The Department of Transportation Maryland Office of Planning and Finance Division also received two related sub-awards:

1. A sub-award to the State of Maryland Inst (doing business as Miemss Communication) to provide emergency medical services (EMS) training, emergency preparedness exercises, and public health emergency response capabilities in Maryland.

2. A sub-award to support staffing for the Maryland Highway Safety Office.

Through this formula grant and sub-awards, the Department of Transportation Maryland and its partners are enhancing occupant protection programs, improving traffic safety data systems, and strengthening emergency response capabilities to reduce motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities in the state.

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.