Federal grant puts more CHP officers on local freeways

California Highway Patrol officers will be out in greater force on a local stretch of the 215 Freeway and other local roadways, thanks to a federal grant designed to support a regional traffic safety campaign.

The CHP Temecula Area office announced the campaign in a news release today. The project is funded for a year, through Sept. 30, 2021.

Additional officers will be deployed in enhanced enforcement on the 215 and 15 Freeways; State Routes 74, 79 and 371; and unincorporated roads within the CHP Temecula Area. The effort will include a community-based task force and a public awareness and education campaign, according to the news release.

“With a proactive approach to make the roadways safer, we will continue to reduce the number of injury and fatal crashes occurring in Riverside County,” said CHP Captain Jason Penner, Commander of the Temecula Area office. “The men and women of the CHP Temecula Area are committed to saving lives, and this grant will build on the momentum achieved from past education and enforcement campaigns.”

There was a total of 1,306 injuries and deaths on state highways and roads patrolled by the Temecula Area Office between Oct. 1, 2017 and Sept. 30, 2018, according to the CHP. Primary factors in the crashes were unsafe speed, improper turning, unsafe lane changes, impaired driving, and right-of-way- violations.

Funding for the program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.