Two retired police officers who spent decades responding to the aftermath of traffic crashes are bringing their insights to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to help the agency develop programs focused on preventing crashes.
Gregory Hunter and his colleague Bernadine Moore now serve as traffic safety specialists for TxDOT in Dallas. Their department, the Traffic Safety Section, manages a wide range of programs designed to enhance road safety across Texas. These include overseeing grants, community outreach and participating in statewide campaigns.
The grants handled by the department are diverse, ranging from the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, which reimburses local law enforcement for overtime activities aimed at reducing crashes, to various other initiatives like the Click-it-or-Ticket and Operation Slowdown campaigns.
Each grant proposal is assessed using the SMART principle—a guideline that ensures objectives are specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and time-framed. These criteria help define the efficiency and effectiveness of each project, ensuring that they align with the overarching goal of reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities.
The department's impact is far-reaching with an average of 591 grants approved annually, according to TxDOT in a press release. Each project, whether it focuses on impaired driving, occupant protection, or pedestrian safety, is a step toward making Texas roads safer for everyone.
"We are very proud of all the grants the state has entrusted under our supervision," said Hunter.
Reflecting on their journey from law enforcement officers to traffic safety specialists, both Hunter and Moore said they are driven by a deep commitment to preventing the kind of tragedies they once investigated, according to TxDOT. They said their work is not just about managing grants, it's about saving lives and making Texas a safer place to drive.
Source: Texas Department of Transportation, Texomas.com
