The County Department of the Medical Examiner received a $600,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to enhance toxicology data reporting for cases involving motor-vehicle related deaths. The grant program runs through September 2025.
Grant funds will pay for toxicologist training as well as method development and validation for newly purchased toxicology equipment. This equipment will be used for the analysis and identification of alcohol and drugs in postmortem specimens from cases involving motor-vehicle related deaths.
The Medical Examiner toxicology laboratory currently processes approximately 4,500 cases annually, with around 300 cases directly related to motor-vehicle fatalities. This grant will enhance the laboratory’s ability to assist in the determination of the cause of death with greater accuracy and efficiency.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
