The Washington County Sheriff’s Office recently announced it has received a $55,371 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). This grant was awarded based upon the partnership with The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in helping to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities across the State of Georgia.
“With the increase in the number of persons killed in traffic crashes in Georgia and across the nation over the last year, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with partners like the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to implement programs designed to stop the risky driving behaviors that are contributing to a majority of our serious-injury and fatality crashes,” said Allen Poole, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. He added, “Many of the fatal traffic crashes on our roads are preventable, and we will continue to work with our educational and enforcement partners to develop programs and initiatives that are designed to get Georgia to our goal of zero traffic deaths.”
High Visibility Enforcement combines highly visible and proactive law enforcement to target a specific traffic safety issue designed to change unlawful and dangerous driving behaviors that contribute to most of the fatal and serious-injury traffic crashes on our roads. Law enforcement efforts are combined with visibility elements and public notification on the enforcement campaign to educate the public on traffic safety and promote voluntary compliance with the law.
“The loss of one life on our roads is one too many, and the fact almost all fatal traffic crashes can be prevented is one reason why we are awarding this grant,” Director Poole said. “The target of zero traffic deaths in our nation is achievable, and we will continue to help develop and implement educational messages and enforcement campaigns aimed at bringing our state one step closer to that goal.”
As law enforcement partners in the Operation Zero Tolerance DUI and Click It Or Ticket seatbelt campaigns, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office will also conduct mobilizations throughout the year in coordination with GOHS’s year-round waves of high visibility patrols, multi-jurisdictional sobriety checkpoints.
“These funds are critical in ensuring that we are doing everything we possibly can to keep our local community safe,” said Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran. “We are committed to working with our partners at the state level to address this safety issue.”
The grant will continue through September of 2022.