[L.A. County Probation Department] – The Los Angeles County Probation Department has been awarded a new traffic safety grant for a year-long program aimed at preventing deaths and injuries resulting from driving under the influence.  The $270,000 grant awarded by the Office of Traffic Safety to Los Angeles County will aid in the County’s ongoing effort to improve traffic safety and the quality of life. Special probation supervision measures will target the high-risk, felony and repeat DUI offenders in Los Angeles.  The Probation Department will also work with other local law enforcement agencies on anti-DUI efforts as part of an on-going commitment to keep our roadways safe through both enforcement and education.

“We are excited about what this means to our community,” said Acting Chief Probation Officer Calvin Remington. “This demonstrates a vote of confidence in our Department’s ability to help save lives on our streets and roads.”

Traffic deaths from all causes declined in California by 11.9 percent, from 3,081 killed in 2009 to 2,715 in 2010.  While alcohol impaired deaths saw a sharp decline last year, thanks to programs such as this, DUI deaths remain the largest sector at more than 30 percent of traffic fatalities.

The grant will assist in efforts to deal with worst-of-the-worst, high risk DUI offenders that pose a risk to our communities.  Funded activities will include monitoring of treatment and DUI program participation, conducting office visits, warrant sweeps, unannounced home searches, and random alcohol/drug testing to confirm compliance with court-ordered terms of probation.

“Thanks to the dedicated hard work of agencies like the Los Angeles County Probation Department, California has the fewest traffic fatalities since 1944,” said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy.  “While this is good news, we know that only by keeping the pressure on through enforcement and public awareness can we hope to sustain these declines and save lives.”

“We are on the right path with declining fatalities,” said Murphy.  “We have to stick to that path so that some day we can reach the vision we all share – Toward zero deaths, every 1 counts.”

Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.