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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs $809,532.90 on October 1, 2025, under the National Priority Safety Programs formula grant (CFDA 20.616) to support occupant protection countermeasures and programs in Alabama.

The award funds state occupant protection programming consistent with 23 C.F.R. § 1300.21(f), including projects and strategies designed to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities from motor vehicle crashes. Funding is apportioned using statutory formulas to states meeting statutory requirements for high or low seat belt use categories and is contingent on an approved triennial highway safety plan detailing problem identification, public participation, performance measures, and countermeasure strategies, plus an approved annual grant application specifying planned projects.

The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2029, with place of performance in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the award as the state highway safety office recipient. The assistance type is a formula grant.

Eligible states must meet specified occupant protection criteria to qualify. NHTSA has up to 60 days to review and approve triennial and annual grant applications. Federal share is reimbursed on claims submitted via Electronic Transfer of Funds. Recipients must retain records for three years following submission of final expenditure reports and project deliverables.

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.