UNG gets grant from Governor's Office of Highway Safety

The University of North Georgia gets a grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety: UNG says it will use the $24 thousand on strategies to address car crashes involving young adults. It’s part of the Georgia Young Adult Program.

From the UNG website…

The University of North Georgia has received a $24,312 grant to participate in the Georgia Young Adult Program of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The program addresses young adult driver crashes, injuries and fatalities and partners with colleges and universities throughout the state to implement the GYAP.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to offer our UNG community continued education surrounding the dangers of driving under the influence and distracted driving,” Meri-Leigh Smith, interim director of Campus Recreation and Wellness, said.

The GYAP program at UNG coordinates events during Weeks of Welcome, National Collegiate Alcohol Education Week, Spirit Nights, and Safe Spring Break Week, offering activities such as DUI simulators, knowing your blood-alcohol content, and drinking responsibly. The grant runs out of the office of Campus Recreation and Wellness and collaborates with multiple offices across the Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses.

This program has proven to be successful using strategies such as peer education, providing educational activities to schools and encouraging schools to develop creative, innovative techniques to reduce young adult crashes, injuries and fatalities in their communities.

“The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and our partners continue to implement programs designed to save lives and promote safe driving behaviors,” Allen Poole, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, said. “We ask everyone to help our state and nation reach the attainable goal of zero traffic deaths by driving safe speeds, always wearing a seat belt, keeping the focus on the road and not the phone, and never operating a vehicle under the influence of any substance that impairs your ability to drive.”

The grant year for this award will be Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024.

For more information on this grant program, contact GOHS at 404-656-6996, and for more information on GOHS and its other highway safety programs, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.

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