Wayne County Health Department awarded $46,200 in traffic-safety grants

Wayne County Health Commissioner Nick Cascarelli recently announced the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Ohio Traffic Safety Office awarded $46,200 in federal traffic-safety funding to the Wayne County Health Department for the federal fiscal year 2026. The funds are passed through the OTSO from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support the efforts of safety partners statewide.

“Partnerships are critical to the success of any safety effort, and we are committed to working with safety partners to address traffic-safety concerns in Wayne County,” Cascarelli said.

The Wayne County Health Department has identified motor vehicle-related accidents due to youthful drivers, impaired and distracted driving, and seat-belt usage are impacting the safety and welfare of the citizens of Wayne County. To save lives and improve the quality of life for area citizens, the Wayne County Health Department will use the grant funds to continue a Safe Communities Coalition and conduct 12 events throughout the year to address impaired driving, seat-belt usage, distracted driving, motorcycle awareness and youthful drivers.

The Wayne County Health Department also is looking for safety and community partners to join the Safe Communities Coalition. For more information or interest in joining the coalition, call or email Hope Griffin, Safe Communities Coalition coordinator, at 330-264-9590 or hgriffin@wayne-health.org.

For more information about OTSO and statewide efforts to improve safety on Ohio’s roadways, visit www.otso.ohio.gov/.