The city of Union City is stepping up its game in traffic safety, landing a handsome $43,727 grant dedicated to the crusade against road fatalities and injuries. The dough, supplied by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and stemming from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's deep pockets, aims to make Georgia's streets less of a battleground and more of a haven for safe passage.
Known as High Visibility Enforcement (HVE), the initiative is a cocktail of conspicuous law enforcement presence and public education, with the hope that drivers might think twice before making a move that could render catastrophic consequences. Allen Poole, Director of GOHS, believes in the power of perseverance, stating, "Federal and state crash data show sustained enforcement of traffic laws reduces crashes and saves lives on our roads," according to the news release from Union City's official website. Poole emphasized the GOHS commitment to partnerships with local law enforcers to champion the dream of zero traffic deaths in the region, and, by extension, the nation.
Fueling the local fight on the war on wheels, Union City Police Chief Cassandra Jones expressed gratitude for the grant, pronouncing the department's dedication to the cause, "Our department is thankful for this opportunity to continue to increase safe driving in our community and reduce harm that comes from unsafe and distracted driving practices," she voiced, adding that these programs are vital for the welfare of Union City residents, according to Union City's official website.
This financial injection will not only support Union City Police in their quotidian patrols but also underpins the broader "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" DUI campaign along with "Click It Or Ticket," a crackdown on those who shun their seatbelts, the Police Department said they will roll out the programs in sync with the Governor's Office year-round waves of enhanced patrolling strategies, this includes establishing multi-jurisdictional sobriety checkpoints that will stand sentinel in the ongoing effort to halt the tide of traffic-related tragedies, the grant is expected to keep the campaign bustling through September of 2025.
