Georgia Gwinnett College has been awarded a $15,883 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for its “Protecting the Grizzly Den” initiative. The program aims to reduce impaired and distracted driving among students. This marks the second consecutive year that the college has received this grant.
The funding will be used to expand highway safety programming on campus, including four major events throughout the academic year. Activities will take place during events such as the Alcohol and Other Drugs awareness campaign, titled “Paws Before You Puff and Think Before You Drink.” These efforts focus on educating students about the dangers of alcohol and drug use as they relate to driving safety.
With this grant, Georgia Gwinnett College plans to hire two peer health educators who will be responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating campus-wide programming. The funds will also allow for two DUI education speakers to visit campus and support the purchase of safety education tools like activity mats and “walk-the-line” tapes.
The college’s goal is to reach at least 600 students with safe driving education, raising awareness about issues such as impaired driving, distracted driving, and seat belt usage.
“Innovative projects like this are designed with the intent for Georgia and our nation to reach the realistic goal of zero traffic deaths by the middle of this century,” said Allen Poole, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “Each life saved on our roads is one less family that will have to live with the pain of losing a loved one whose life was taken from them in a traffic crash that was completely preventable.”
“Every student deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive safely,” said Dr. Matthew Robison, GGC’s associate provost for . “These programs empower Grizzlies to look out for one another and make choices that support their future.”
The grant period runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
