AZDPS Receives $20,000 GOHS Grant for 2023 “Buckle Up Arizona" Seat Belt Enforcement Campaign

Phoenix, AZ — The Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) has awarded the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) a $20,000.00 grant to fund overtime and other expenses for the upcoming “Buckle Up Arizona” enforcement campaign. The two-week campaign is set to begin on Monday, May 22nd, and will conclude on Sunday, June 4th, 2023.

As of April 23rd, Arizona State Troopers have investigated 103 fatal crashes on highways and interstates in 2023. Of the individuals killed in those crashes, 41 people were not wearing seat belts.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seat belt use reduces the risk of serious crash-related injuries and fatalities by approximately 50%.

“The partnership between the Department of Public Safety, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, and our other law enforcement agencies is critical,” said Lieutenant Colonel Deston Coleman Jr., Assistant Director of the Highway Patrol Division. “We are all dedicated to reducing fatalities both through education and enforcing the use of seatbelts and child restraints.”