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 Michigan State Police $1,525,550.71 under the National Priority Safety Programs (CFDA 20.616) formula grant on October 1, 2025, to support occupant protection programs and countermeasures designed to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities from motor vehicle crashes. The award is administered under Section 405(b) of 23 U.S.C. and covers the period through September 30, 2029, with place of performance at the Michigan State Police headquarters in Lansing, Michigan.

The grant funds state occupant protection programs consistent with 23 C.F.R. § 1300.21(f), apportioned by statutory formula to qualifying states meeting seat belt use category requirements. Michigan State Police, as the state highway safety office, implements planned projects using identified countermeasure strategies detailed in the approved triennial highway safety plan and annual grant application. Federal share is reimbursed on claims submitted in vouchers covering incurred costs; all participants use Electronic Transfer of Funds.

The National Priority Safety Programs formula grant encourages states to address national highway safety priorities including occupant protection, impaired driving countermeasures, distracted driving, motorcyclist safety, nonmotorized safety, roadside death prevention, and driver and officer safety education. Annual grant applications are due August 1, and NHTSA has up to 60 days to review and approve triennial plans and annual applications. State records retention requirements extend three years following final expenditure report submission.

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.