About the OTS
The OTS takes a leadership role in efforts to make California roadways safe for everyone using the transportation system. Through thoughtful, forward-thinking, and data-driven selection of grants to local and state agencies, the OTS strives to reach our goal where everyone will go safely on California roads. Through grant funding made available to California by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the OTS funds more than $100 million dollars annually in innovative, evidence-based education and enforcement programs and technologies designed to improve road safety. The OTS evaluates all potential programs to make sure California addresses current and future traffic safety needs. Our success depends on strong partnerships. We work with approximately 300 state and local agencies to make the most effective use of federal grant program funds. Additionally, we coordinate with traffic safety partners to track successful programs, encourage collaboration, develop new countermeasures, and explore emerging trends. In addition to the many programs funded through these grants, the OTS team is committed to sharing the message of traffic safety. We accomplish this through public awareness campaigns that educate the public on safe driving habits. Our team proudly represents California as a leader in traffic safety efforts at the local, state, and national levels.
OTS 2025-2027 Strategic Plan
Vision
All people will be safe on California roads.
Mission
Deliver traffic safety programs to prevent people from being killed and seriously injured in California.
Core Values
PASSION
We are devoted to our critical and urgent mission of saving lives.
COLLABORATION
We cultivate collaboration with our partners and with the communities we serve.
INCLUSION
We value all people and engage with communities and stakeholders so that everyone has a voice, prioritizing underserved areas most impacted by traffic safety problems.
INNOVATION
We continuously seek new ways to improve our programs and traffic safety.
INTEGRITY
We lead by example to promote, respect accountability, and trust.
Program Areas
The Office of Traffic Safety has identified the following ten priority areas of concentration for grant funding:
History
By 1966, motor vehicle traffic crashes nationally claimed nearly 51,000 lives a year, or 26 deaths for every 100,000 Americans. Recognizing the need to reduce the carnage on the nation’s roads, Congress passed the National Highway Safety Act, which provides for federal traffic safety funds to states.
In 1967, the California Traffic Safety Program (TSP) was enacted by the Legislature to provide authority for the State to implement the requirements of the national legislation. Subsequently, the Governor delegated authority to administer the TSP to the Secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing (BT&H) Agency. In turn, the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) was created in the BT&H Agency to administer the TSP under the direction of the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative.
Since that time, the work and influence of OTS has grown and spread. In the early days, funding, expertise, and results were scarce. Over the years, OTS staff became skilled professionals, programs expanded, and local authorities embraced the traffic safety message. Interest grew, priorities areas were established, and traffic deaths and injuries began to fall.
Each year a Highway Safety Plan (HSP) is developed to reflect current needs as well as detailing the planned use of federal funds. The HSP identifies problems, specific performance measures, proposed solutions, time frames and fiscal information on continuing and planned new grants which are designed to mitigate traffic safety problems. OTS’ role in this cycle has proven invaluable as it provides a vital link among Federal, State and local functions.
OTS became the national leader in innovative programs to save lives on its roadways. It has established results driven best-practices and encouraged new strategies. While the state’s population continues to grow, traffic deaths and injuries are falling.
