ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Driver Services was awarded a $61,200 grant to help fund a teen Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program from October 2023 to September 2024.
The announcement came Thursday, with DDS Commissioner Spencer Moore saying the ADAP course was designed to make teen drivers more aware of the harms of alcohol and drug use while driving.
To get a driver’s license in Georgia, anyone under the age of 18 must complete the ADAP course.
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The $61,196 grant was awarded to DDS by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
“We are grateful for the continued commitment from GOHS to address the pressing issue of poor teen driving behavior, particularly in the realm of driving under the influence. With this support, we can continue impactful programs that aim to educate and create awareness among teenagers, fostering a safer and responsible driving culture. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of these young individuals and contribute to building a safer road environment for everyone,” Moore said.
According to DDS, more than 51,000 students finished the DAP course while more than 43,300 finished the course online with eADAP.
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There’s also a free online ADAP course for parents that comes with a free, non-certified three-year Motor Vehicle Report upon completion.
The grant award will be used by DDS to fund an Operations Analyst, providing technical assistance for ADAP and eADAP service, in addition to responding to customer emails and phone calls, according to officials.
“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.”
In the latest data available, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported Georgia had 1,797 driving fatalities in 2021, with 391 involving alcohol impairment. That same year, 27% of young drivers, ages 15 to 20, were killed in crashes with a blood-alcohol content level of .01 g/dL or higher.
Additionally, NHTSA reported that “in 2021, the highest percentage of drunk drivers (with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher) were the 21-to 24-year-old age group and 25-to-34-year old age groups. Men are most likely to be involved in this type of crash, with four male drunk drivers for every female drunk driver.”
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