Georgia Southern Awarded Grant to Fight Alcohol Abuse and Drunk Driving

December 17, 2012

Georgia Southern University’s Dean of Students Office has received a nearly $10,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) to educate students and combat alcohol abuse, underage drinking and impaired driving through “Safe Rides Save Lives.”

“We are excited about this grant because it allows us to expand our prevention efforts to include the prevention of alcohol-related crashes,” explained David McDermott, administrative coordinator for the Office of Alcohol and Other Drugs Programs at Georgia Southern.

Through GOHS, the Dean of Students Office will use the $9,830 grant to participate in the Georgia Young Adult Program which is designed for colleges and universities. It focuses on peer education to promote and bring awareness to highway safety issues including alcohol education, alcohol abuse prevention, impaired driving, underage drinking, safety belts, distractive driving, speeding, risk reductions and other destructive decisions.

“With this money, we will host awareness events including a DUI simulator, alcohol speakers and  safe rides promotions,” explained McDermott. “We expect these activities to have a significant impact on the health and safety of our community.”

The long-term goal of the GOHS program is to create safer, more-healthy campus environments. It  will be coordinated through the Office of Alcohol and Other Drugs Programs, a student services unit within the Dean of Students Office. For more information on the “Safe Rides Save Lives” program, visit http://students.georgiasouthern.edu/aod.

Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 120 degree programs serving more than 20,500 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement.  In 2011, the University was named one of the Top 10 most popular universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report and is a top choice of Georgia’s HOPE scholars.  Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit: www.georgiasouthern.edu.