MONTGOMERY— Law enforcement officers will increase their presence on roads in northwest Alabama during busy travel periods in an effort to minimize injuries and deaths from car crashes. Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded grants totaling $460,679 to support the effort.
The grants to the North Alabama Highway Safety Office fund overtime pay for officers to
conduct additional patrols during holiday weekends including Labor Day when the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign will be conducted. The patrols will target seat belt violations, drunken driving, road rage and texting while driving. The office, based at Northwest Shoals Community College, covers Colbert, Cullman, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Marion, Morgan and Winston counties.
“Reckless and careless drivers are a danger to everyone who travels on Alabama’s roads,” Bentley said. “By increasing law enforcement patrols, we will reduce the number of dangerous drivers and encourage more motorists to obey traffic laws.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants 
with funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, recreation, energy conservation, water resource management, job training and career development.
Bentley notified Humphrey Lee, Northwest Shoals Community College president, that the grants had been approved.
