To address the problem of impaired driving and other risks associated with high-risk drinking, Student Health Promotion at Georgia State University partners with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) through the Young Adult (YA) Program. The grant is awarded by GOHS with federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The GOHS YA Program addresses young adult driver crashes, injuries and fatalities and partners with colleges and universities throughout the state to implement the GYAP. “The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with all of our highway safety partners to reverse the increase in traffic deaths we have seen in the United States in the last two years and the goal of this project is to prevent crashes and save lives on our roads,” Allen Poole, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety said. “We ask everyone to join the mission of saving lives on our roads by driving the speed limit, wearing your seat belt, staying off the phone when driving and never driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”

The grant program encourages universities to develop creative, innovative techniques to reduce young adult crashes, injuries and fatalities in their communities. The grant year for this award is October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023 and is part of the comprehensive health and wellness program to reduce the negative consequences of alcohol and other drug use at Georgia State along with identifying actions students can take to be safer drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

During this grant cycle some of the initiatives at Georgia State include:

• A car simulator to provide students an opportunity to experience impairment as the result of alcohol
• The “pour a drink” activity to provide participants a better understand the reality that most college students over-pour and underestimate drink limits
• The “drinking clock” activity to enable participants to experience the approximate amount of time the body take to process alcohol
• Online self-assessments associated with their alcohol and drug use, confidentially, through: Alcohol EcheckUp To Go, Marijuana EcheckUp To Go, and the Mindwise Screening. The online programs include local and national resources to assist students that are concerned about alcohol and drug use, among themselves or others
• Observational seat belt checks to encourage seat belt use as students travel for spring break
• Monthly grant activity spotlights on BeWellPanthers’ Instagram Live during Move it Monday and Wellness Wednesdays
• The #PanthersGamePlan on Instagram for students to receive social marketing material throughout the year to prevent alcohol and other drug use along with reducing the negative consequences associated with high-risk alcohol and drug use