Section 405(e) distracted driving laws grant (23 C.F.R. § 1300.24; 23 U.S.C. § 405(e)) ― grant to support certain costs of state distracted driving programs consistent with 23 C.F.R. §…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Maine Department of Public Safety $225,522.85 under the Section 405(e) Distracted Driving Laws Grant on October 1, 2025, with performance through September 30, 2029. The funding supports state distracted driving programs, including countermeasure strategies and projects designed to reduce motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Maine qualifies for this formula grant by virtue of having enacted and enforced laws prohibiting texting while driving and youth cell phone use while driving.

The recipient uses approved triennial and annual grant applications to detail problem identification, performance measures, countermeasure strategies, and planned projects aligned with its highway safety plan. The grant is apportioned using statutory formula and requires reimbursement on voucher claims. Work is performed in Augusta, Maine at the state highway safety office. The Maine Department of Public Safety, the designated state administering agency for federal highway safety programs, manages the award and passes funds through to support behavioral highway safety initiatives statewide.

Section 405(e) distracted driving laws grant (23 C.F.R. § 1300.24; 23 U.S.C. § 405(e)) ― grant to support certain costs of state distracted driving programs consistent with 23 C.F.R. § 1300.24(f). 405(e) funding is available to qualifying states that enact and enforce a law that prohibits texting while driving or prohibits youth cell phone use while driving. 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.