MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a total of $1.09 million to improve traffic safety in north and northwest Alabama.

The North Alabama Highway Safety Office will disperse funds to law enforcement agencies in 17 counties to cover additional patrols during statewide safety campaigns like “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” which occur around holidays that generate heavy traffic. Additional highway safety operations can be enacted to reduce crashes and traffic violations in specific locations throughout the year.

“These grants provide the necessary resources to put more law enforcement officers on our highways and ensure that motorists who put themselves and others at risk are caught and pay the penalty,” Gov. Ivey said. “I am pleased to award these funds to support our police officers and sheriff’s deputies who work tirelessly to increase safety on our roads.”

Receiving funds from the traffic safety office are law enforcement agencies in Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Walker and Winston counties.

Funds will be allocated to police and sheriff’s departments based on data provided by the University of Alabama’s Center for Advanced Public Safety which helps pinpoint “hot spots” or areas most prone to crashes, speeding and reckless driving.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Gov. Ivey and ADECA are committed to making Alabama roads safe and ensuring that everyone is obeying our traffic laws,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.

ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.

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