February 11, 2025
Agenda Item No. 12
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
David Miner, Acting Chief of Police - 949-644-3701, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Sabrina Fabbri, Traffic Sergeant - 949-644-3743, [email protected] TITLE:
Acceptance of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Illegal Passing of Stopped School Buses-High Visibility Enforcement Pilot Project ABSTRACT:
The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) seeks acceptance of a grant totaling $57,800 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Illegal Passing of Stopped School Buses-High Visibility Enforcement Pilot Project.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; Accept a $57,800 NHTSA Illegal Passing of School Buses-High Visibility Enforcement Pilot Project award granted to the Newport Beach Police Department by Toxcell LLC.; and Approve Budget Amendment No. 25-052 increasing NBPD revenue estimates and expenditure appropriations by $57,800.
DISCUSSION:
Through a NHTSA-funded research project, Toxcel LLC is developing a toolkit to help law enforcement agencies (LEA) implement high visibility enforcement (HVE) campaigns to address the illegal passing of stopped school buses. HVE combines enforcement, visibility elements, and a publicity strategy to educate the public and promote voluntary compliance with the law. While HVE campaigns are frequently used to address traffic safety concerns such as seat belt usage and impaired driving, this will be the first NHTSA-sponsored HVE campaign focused on illegal school bus passing.
According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation, approximately 242,000 motorists across the United States illegally passed a stopped school bus in a single day during the 2022-2023 school year. Projected across a 180-day school year, that is more than 43.5 million stop-arm violations.
These are preventable incidents that put children at significant risk; injuries and fatalities to children occur more often outside or near a school bus than inside due to motorists failing to heed the stop-arm warning.
The objective of this effort is to pilot test a toolkit that was developed by Toxcel to help law enforcement agencies conduct HVE for the illegal passing of stopped school buses. The pilot test will involve selected law enforcement agencies conducting HVE between January 2025 and June 2025, with the toolkit available to guide them in their HVE efforts. Agencies will be reimbursed for their HVE efforts related to this project, will be required to submit deployment reports, and will be asked for input on the toolkit at the end of the pilot period that may be used to enhance or improve the toolkit. When finalized, the toolkit will be made broadly available.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Budget Amendment appropriates $57,800 in additional revenue from the NHTSA HVE Pilot Project and $57,800 in increased expenditure appropriations. The revenue will be posted to a designated account for the pilot project in the Police Department Traffic Division, 01035354-431453-G2550, and staffing will be expensed to accounts 01035354-713002-G2550 and 01035354-727016-G2550 for overtime and associated compensation benefits.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Budget Amendment
Attachment B – NHTSA Grant Agreement
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Acceptance of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Illegal Passing of Stopped School Buses-High Visibility Enforcement Pilot Project February 11, 2025
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