Irvine police receive grant to deter traffic-related fatalities

The Irvine Police Department was awarded a $100,000 grant for a year-long program designed to deter traffic-related fatalities and injuries, police said Tuesday.

The grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety will target drunk drivers through additional DUI checkpoints, and target red light running and speeding, according to a police news release.

New equipment purchases are also expected to be made with grant monies.

“Thanks to the dedicated hard work of agencies like the Irvine Police Department, California has the fewest traffic fatalities since 1944,” OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy said in the release. “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.”

— Lauren Williams