Long Beach Health Department Awarded Three Grants to Expand Traffic Safety and Education Programs

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PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has been awarded a total of $915,000 in grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to advance traffic safety education and prevention efforts to reduce crashes related to distracted driving, impaired driving and unsafe biking and walking behaviors.

"Traffic safety continues to be one of our top public safety priorities. These grants allow us to educate our community, promote safer choices and prevent injuries on our streets," said Mayor Rex Richardson.

The funding will support the Health Department's traffic safety prevention programs, including Walk & Roll LB, which delivers bicycle, pedestrian and active-transportation safety and injury-prevention education, and Greenlight LB, which leads the City's distracted- and impaired-driving prevention work. Together, these efforts promote safer travel across the city through education, outreach and behavior-change strategies, with a focus on youth and young adults, high-risk neighborhoods and communities disproportionately impacted by traffic collisions. The grant will support various initiatives from Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2026, including:

• School and community-based presentations that promote safe behaviors for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.
• Peer-to-peer youth engagement programs addressing distracted and impaired driving.
• Interactive demonstrations and hands-on learning activities that reinforce safe choices.
• Distribution of free traffic safety gear such as helmets, bike lights and reflective materials to support safer walking and biking.
• Community surveys and observational assessments to collect local data.
• Collaboration with the Long Beach Police Department, Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) and local community organizations.

"These combined investments strengthen the cornerstone of our injury-prevention work at the Health Department. By focusing on education, behavior change, and hands-on strategies that meet people where they are, we're helping youth, families, and high-risk communities stay safe on Long Beach streets." said Health and Human Services Director Alison King.

With OTS funding, the programs delivered significant prevention and safety impacts over the past year, including:

• Reached more than 8,300 community members through education, outreach and safety demonstrations.
• Conducted 37 school-based presentations across LBUSD elementary, middle and high schools.
• Engaged youth leaders through peer-to-peer programs promoting safe driving and active transportation.
• Distributed 264 helmets and more than 3,200bike lights and reflective gear to support safer biking and walking.
• Hosted community pop-up events, impaired-driving demonstrations and youth-focused activities.
• Delivered citywide media and awareness campaigns to reduce distracted and drug-impaired driving.

"Traffic safety education saves lives. Staying alert, sober and distraction-free behind the wheel can prevent tragedies on our roadways. We are proud to support Long Beach as they continue these critical efforts," said OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty.

This funding continues the City's ongoing efforts to reduce traffic-related serious injuries and fatalities and aligns with the Health Department's Strategic Plan and the City's Safe Streets Long Beach Vison Zero Action Plan and Strategic Vision 2030 goals.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Long Beach Health Department is available at longbeach.gov/health and on Instagram, Facebook and X.

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