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 $938,210.53 to the Traffic Safety Commission on October 1, 2025, under the National Priority Safety Programs formula grant (CFDA 20.616), Section 405(b) Occupant Protection Grant.

The award funds state occupant protection programs and countermeasure strategies designed to reduce motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Activities supported through approved annual grant applications and triennial highway safety plans include public education, enforcement initiatives, law enforcement training, and safety program coordination aligned with identified occupant protection countermeasures. The Traffic Safety Commission, Washington's State Highway Safety Office, administers the funds from its office in Olympia, Washington.

The award obligates $938,210.53 with a period of performance from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2029. Funding is apportioned to qualifying states meeting statutory seat belt use category requirements and is provided following NHTSA's approval of the state's triennial highway safety plan and annual grant application. The federal share is reimbursed on claims submitted via Electronic Transfer of Funds.

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.