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Brea officials are looking to crack down on illegal street racing and drunk driving – with the help of tens of thousands of dollars in federal grant funds.
The efforts come after an increase in alcohol-related accidents since 2021.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Brea had the 26th highest fatal and injury crash rate out of 93 cities with a similar population.
At their Nov. 19 meeting, Brea City Council members voted unanimously to accept a $73,000 grant from the Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program aimed at supporting local efforts to reduce traffic-related fatalities and injuries, particularly drunk driving.
Brea is not the only city in Orange County to receive grant money for traffic safety.
Other law enforcement agencies in cities like Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, Laguna Beach, Los Alamitos, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department also received hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Between January 2023 and January 2024, Brea saw 47 DUI-related traffic collisions compared to 26 in 2021 according to the California Office of Traffic Safety.
Of these, 16 resulted in injuries, and 8 occurred near the intersection of Brea Boulevard and Imperial Highway—an area identified as a hotspot for traffic crashes according to city staff.
In total, Brea’s 2023 traffic data revealed that the main cause for accidents in the city were unsafe speed, improper turning and traffic/sign violations
“Our goal is to reduce Brea’s crash rankings by strengthening enforcement, enhancing education, and minimizing injury crashes,” reads the federal grant agreement. “This grant will help our officers improve their detection skills and expand public outreach to encourage safer driving behaviors.”
Funding Officer Training and Public Safety Campaigns
The $73,000 grant will be allocated for training police officers in advanced DUI detection techniques and expanding educational campaigns aimed at raising awareness about traffic safety laws and alcohol-related crashes.
Liz Pharis, Brea’s spokesperson, over email said that the grant offers a financial boon for public safety without straining the city’s budget.
“This grant benefits the Brea community in two significant ways. It increases public safety outreach and enhances enforcement capabilities, all without additional taxpayer costs,” said Pharis. “I have no concerns about its impact—it’s a win for our residents.”
Focus on High-Risk Areas and Impaired Driving
One of the key areas of concern for local law enforcement is the high frequency of DUI arrests and traffic crashes around Brea Boulevard and Imperial Highway.
These incidents are often tied to the concentration of commercial businesses in the area, which attract significant late-night traffic and contribute to impaired driving risks, according to the grant agreement.
In addition to impaired driving, Brea Police are also focusing on other key factors contributing to accidents, such as speeding, illegal turns, and traffic signal violations.
According to the grant agreement, data from the past year reveals that speeding was responsible for 27 crashes, leading to 32 injuries, while improper turning caused 19 crashes, resulting in 22 injuries.
Meanwhile, violations of traffic signals and signs were involved in 28 crashes, with 43 resulting in injuries.
Addressing Street Racing and Dangerous Driving
Brea Police officials are also ramping up efforts to combat street racing and “intersection takeovers,” which have become a growing concern across Orange County, especially among car clubs.
The department has joined a regional task force, the Strategic Traffic Enforcement Against Reckless Driving (STREARD), to share intelligence and coordinate enforcement efforts against these incidents.
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