OHS GRANT INFORMATION
OHS Grant Application Process, Forms, and Procedures Manual
The Office of Highway Safety promotes public safety by distributing federal funds to various agencies and organizations for a variety of state and local highway projects and new initiatives.
Our grant year runs October 1 through September 30 each year. The planning for each federal fiscal year begins in January when the Grant Advisory Committee meets to discuss crash data from the previous year and to review traffic safety priorities for each GAC member. The GAC consists of our highway safety partners from NHTSA, FHWA, DelDOT, Delaware State Police, and a local law enforcement representative.
Between February and March, the OHS staff reviews various traffic safety data sources to determine the priority areas for the coming fiscal year. Once the areas are selected, the grant application package is distributed to our various highway safety partners. The only exception is for law enforcement—police departments within the state are not required to submit grant applications as OHS staff conducts the necessary problem identification to select the police agencies to participate in highway safety activities in the coming year.
Applications are typically due in late April. In early May, the GAC again meets to review and rate the applications received. The GAC is also tasked with approving the draft highway safety plan that is presented to the committee members. The draft Highway Safety Plan (HSP) outlines the law enforcement agencies that, with the non-law enforcement agencies selected, will comprise the HSP that is submitted to NHTSA in August for approval.
Following a pre-award meeting in September and subsequent to approval from OHS, all subgrantees begin their grants on October 1.
Who Can Apply?
Any state or private agency, local politician subdivision, and county or municipal government that can show that an identified highway safety problem exists within their jurisdiction, may apply for federal funding. The problem must fall within one of the top six priority areas (Impaired Driving, Occupant Protection, Aggressive Driving, Traffic Records, Pedestrian Safety or Motorcycle Safety), or in an area where there is documented evidence of a highway safety problem.
Copies of the OHS Grant Application can be obtained from the office by contacting us at (302) 672-7635. You may also click on the forms below to obtain an electronic version.
| MS Word | Adobe PDF | |
| Grant Application | Grant Application | |
| Grant Application Instructions | Grant Application Instructions | |
| Procedures Manual | Procedures Manual | |
| Here are the links to both readers if you do not have Word or Adobe. | ||
| MS Word Reader | Adobe Reader | |
Priority Areas
State of Delaware's FY 2010 Highway Safety Goals
Overall Goal – To sustain a fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled of 1.30 in 2010*.
1. Occupant Protection – To increase seat belt use from 91% in 2008 to 93% in 2010. In order to achieve a 93% seat belt use rate, Delaware must convert 22% of its current non-seat belt users into seat belt users.
2. Impaired Driving – To reduce alcohol-related fatalities from 43% in 2008 to 39% in 2010 and to reduce the alcohol fatality rate per hundred million vehicle miles traveled from .57 in 2008 to .50 in 2010.
3. Speeding – To reduce fatal crashes resulting from speeding from 20% in 2008 to 17% in 2010.
4. Traffic Records – Short-term performance goals:
• Coordinate the planning and development of the Section 408 application and TRCC (Traffic Records Coordinating Committee) Strategic Plan with the TRCC.
• Assist the TRCC with the implementation of projects as outlined in the TRCC Strategic Plan. See below:
◊ Support efforts by the Delaware Justice Information System (DelJIS) to re-tool the current automated crash reporting project and incorporate into the Law Enforcement Investigative Support Services (LEISS) suite of enforcement reporting tools. (e-crash)
◊ Support efforts by the Division of Motor Vehicles in the creation of a DMV Data Mining Tool
◊ Support efforts by the Office of Emergency Medical Services to enhance the EMS Data Information Network (EDIN)
◊ Support efforts by DelDOT to create a new locator tool to support the electronic crash data system currently in development by DelJIS
Long-range performance goal: Continue to support TRCC partners' efforts to upgrade existing traffic records systems and efforts to identify additional resources to further aid in accurate, timely, and complete data analysis.
5. Pedestrian Safety – To reduce pedestrian fatalities from 17% in 2008 to 13% in 2010.
6. Motorcycle Safety – To reduce motorcycle fatalities from 13% in 2008 to 9% in 2010.
Primary Activities
++Problem Identification:
Includes identification of actual and potential traffic safety hazards and effective
countermeasures.
++Administration:
Includes preparation of Annual Highway Safety Plan and the distribution of federal funds to
state, local and private agencies.
++Monitoring & Evaluation:
Includes monitoring and evaluation of approved highway safety projects and monitoring of
legislative initiatives that impact highway safety.
++Public Information & Education:
Includes development and coordination of numerous public awareness activities with particular
emphasis on identified priority areas.
Population Served Table & Chart
| Delaware Specific: | |||||
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Population | 805,774 | 817,831 | 830,082 | 843,540 | 854,977 |
| Licensed Drivers | 577,581 | 591,713 | 604,124 | 614,417 | 620,433 |
| Registered Vehicles | 755,272 | 778,016 | 803,942 | 824,357 | 841,620 |
| Motor Vehicle Miles Driven ( in millions ) | 8,837 | 9,013 | 9,172 | 9,448 | 9,676 |
| Drivers Licensed by Age | |||||
| 16-24 year olds | 80,504 | 82,282 | 83,631 | 84,415 | 85,038 |
| 25-54 year olds | 333,095 | 336,738 | 340,495 | 344,255 | 344,851 |
| 55 and over | 163,977 | 172,693 | 179,998 | 185,747 | 190,544 |
