The Vermont Governor's Highway Safety Program (GHSP) coordinates a statewide behavioral highway safety program, making effective use of federal and state highway safety funds and other resources, to save lives and reduce injuries on the state's roads, and provide leadership and program support in partnership with traffic safety activists, professionals and organizations. GHSP works to combat the number and severity of traffic crashes by developing and supporting educational, enforcement and engineering programs. Grants are awarded to state and local safety-related agencies who can demonstrate through data and evaluation a proven need for behavioral changes to correct a traffic safety problem.
In FY 2024, grants will be used to mitigate traffic safety program deficiencies, expand on-going activities, or develop a new program across the spectrum of prevention programming from DUI (adult and underage), to passenger and pedestrian safety, to helmet use. Proposals are accepted in the following program areas:
- Education Projects – This program provides support to the mitigation of traffic safety program deficiencies that support the state's traffic safety priorities.
- Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (TRCC) Projects – This program provides support to efficient and accurate traffic records systems approved by the TRCC.
- Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Projects - This program provides support to law enforcement officer trained to identify people whose driving is impaired by drugs other than, or addition to, alcohol. Only certified LEA with certified DREs are eligible for funding.
- Impaired Driving Programs - This program provides support to reduce traffic safety problems that result from individuals driving motor vehicles while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or the combination of alcohol and drugs.
- Occupant Protection Enforcement/Support Equipment Projects - This program provides support to reduce highway deaths and injuries resulting from individuals riding improperly belted or unrestrained in motor vehicles.
- Distracted Driving Enforcement Projects - This program focuses on ongoing and periodic supplemental traffic enforcement to decrease distracted driving.
Funds may be used for conducting inventories, need studies, engineering studies, systems development, program implementation, or for purchasing equipment.
A time study will be required for mobile video recording systems, mobile data computers (MDCs) and other specialty equipment to determine proportional funding ratios. Data storage will not be funded.
Funds cannot be used for construction, design, or maintenance of highways, or for highway construction research projects office furnishings, any type of budget supplanting, highway signs, entertainment costs, or alcoholic beverages. Materials purchased must meet the federal and state requirements for purchasing.