SAFETEA-LU State Highway Safety Programs

Section 408 State Traffic Safety Information System Improvement Grants


History and Administration

SAFETEA-LU authorizes this new data improvement incentive grant program that replaces the Section 411 data incentive grant program authorized under TEA-21. The program is administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at the federal level and the State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO) at the state level.

Purpose

The purpose of this grant program is to: encourage states to improve the timeliness, accuracy, completeness, uniformity, integration and accessibility of their state safety information; encourage linkage of data systems and improve the compatibility of state and national data.

Requirements

To receive Section 408 grant funds, a state must certify that it has adopted and uses model data elements identified by the Secretary or that it will use Section 408 grant funds toward adopting and using the maximum number of such model data elements as soon as practicable. The state must also satisfy a maintenance of effort requirement.

To be eligible for a first-year grant, a state must demonstrate that it has:

  1. A functioning Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (TRCC) that includes managers, collectors and users of traffic records, public health and injury control data
  2. A multi-year strategic plan that addresses system deficiencies, is approved by the TRCC, specifies how deficiencies were identified, prioritizes system needs and goals, identifies performance indicators by which progress toward the goals can be tracked and indicates how funds will be spent

To be eligible for a subsequent year grant, a state must:

  1. Certify that it has had a traffic records assessment with the previous five years
  2. Certify that the TRCC continues to operate and support the multi-year plan
  3. Specify how grant funds are to be used to address system needs and goals
  4. Demonstrate measurable progress toward achieving the goals and objectives
  5. Submit a current progress report

Eligible states will receive a first-year grant that is equal to their proportionate share of Section 402 funds or at least $300,000, whichever is higher. Eligible states will receive a subsequent year grant that is equal to their proportionate share of Section 402 funds or at least $500,000, whichever is higher. The federal share payable is 80%. Funds must be used to make safety information system improvements. Unobligated funding may be transferred to the Section 405 or Section 410 programs.

Funding

SAFETEA-LU authorizes the Section 406 program at $34.5 million each year for FY 2006 - FY 2009.

Current and Previous Fiscal Year Funding Levels >>