MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) — The California Highway Patrol says 106 deaths were caused by crashes in the Madera area between 2020 and 2023.

The agency recently received $130,000 in grants to help combat these deadly statistics and make the county’s roads and highways safer.

That’s welcome news for Maria Balch, who has been fighting to make roads safe in Madera County since she was in an accident.

“When I was in the hospital after my car accident, I promised myself that if God kept me alive this way, he kept me here for a reason, and I was going to make sure I fight,” Balch said.

About six years ago, Balch was pushed into oncoming traffic by another vehicle while stopped on 12th Avenue near the 41 freeway.

“As they were pulling me to safety, the car exploded in front of me,” Balch said.

The California Highway Patrol’s Madera area office says that in addition to fatal crashes, more than 2,600 people were injured in car crashes.

“It’s very heartbreaking, as we talked about earlier, this is 100 percent preventable,” CHP Madera spokesman Sergio Moreno said.

Fatal Reduction Education and Enforcement Grant, also known as FREE, from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The grant will provide additional officers to cover Highways 145, 152, 99 and Highway 41, including unincorporated rural roads.

Moreno says he hopes to include community outreach to educate people about the rules of the road.

“This grant will allow us not only to deploy additional officers to patrol, but also to reduce fatalities and injuries resulting from crashes,” Moreno said.

On Friday, CHP Madera responded to another fatal crash on Highway 41 near Bulevardul Copiilor.

Investigators say a car crashed into the back of another vehicle while they were stopped for traffic.

This created a chain collision. The driver, believed to be at fault, was taken to hospital, where they later died.

After years of fighting for safer streets, Balch hopes people understand the importance of following the rules of the road.

“Is that speed worth it to go head-on with someone and kill yourself or someone else? You could have killed me. He could have killed someone’s mother, wife, daughter for nothing,” Balch said.

The grant money is expected to last until September 2025.

CHP Madera says they will likely look for new grant opportunities once this resource is exhausted.

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