FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2018
CONTACT: Madison Forker, mforker@ghsa.org
202-789-0942 x120
Grants Awarded to Connecticut, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) are pleased to announce the recipients of the second year of grants to help states implement innovative drowsy driving prevention campaigns. Connecticut, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota will receive $15,000 each in funding. Twelve states applied for these grants; a panel of issue experts reviewed all applications against a number of criteria and selected the winners.
This competitive grant program equips states with resources needed to tackle the challenging problem of drowsy driving, with programs incorporating recommendations from a GHSA report on the issue as well as tools developed by NRSF. Programs in 2018 will utilize public awareness campaigns, social media outreach, and innovative partnerships to engage key audiences.
Planned state activities include the following:
- Connecticut – The Connecticut Highway Safety Office will partner with the Boy Scouts of America to raise awareness of drowsy driving by placing portable signage along major interstate corridors. These signs will feature anti-drowsy driving messaging and encourage drivers to pull in to the rest area for free coffee. The Highway Safety Office will produce additional informational materials to be distributed at Boy Scout and Highway Safety Office events and circulated to state highway safety stakeholders.
- Massachusetts – The Massachusetts Highway Safety Division will develop a public education campaign in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health, AAA Northeast, and the Drowsy Driving Prevention Project. The program, geared toward young drivers, will use social media platforms and combined partner resources to relay the dangers of drowsy driving to this high-risk population.
- Montana – The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) will launch a peer-to-peer education program through an ongoing partnership with the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). The state plans to make drowsy driving prevention one of the traffic safety themes for the state’s 2018-2019 FCCLA community projects, which provide schools the opportunity to apply for grants to develop campaigns on specific traffic safety issues.
- Nebraska – The Nebraska Department of Transportation, Highway Safety Office (NDOT-HSO) will work with local health districts and community colleges in four counties to implement Drowsy Driving Prevention: Don’t Snooze and Cruise. This campaign will involve eight community events educating young adults and senior drivers on avoiding drowsy driving. A social media component will sustain the messaging after the events are held.
- South Dakota – The South Dakota Office of Highway Safety (SD OHS) will reach motorcyclists by partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Region VIII office and the South Dakota Hotel and Lodging Association to develop and promote a Safe 2 Sturgis campaign. Timed to align with the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the group will distribute hotel care packages with drowsy driving messages and will utilize social media and street teams at the rally to reinforce the campaign.
“We are thrilled to continue this partnership with the National Road Safety Foundation in 2018,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “Drowsy driving is a critical traffic safety issue, but states often lack the funding to adequately address it. By providing these grants, NRSF is helping State Highway Safety Offices reach the populations most prone to this dangerous behavior.”
Michelle Anderson, Director of Operations for NRSF, noted, “This year’s applications were extremely impressive, and we are eager to see the results of the selected programs. We hope these campaigns can serve as a model for other states to take action on the completely preventable, and all too common, occurrence of drowsy driving.”
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About GHSA
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GHSAhq or follow us on Twitter @GHSAHQ.
About The National Road Safety Foundation
The National Road Safety Foundation, Inc. (NRSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing deaths and injuries on our nation’s roads by promoting safe driving awareness and lifelong education. NRSF produces FREE traffic safety programs on distracted driving, speed and aggression, impaired driving, drowsy driving, driving skills, pedestrian safety and a host of other safety issues. NRSF also sponsors contests to engage teens in promoting safe driving to their peers and in their communities. For more information or to download free programs, visit www.nrsf.org or www.teenlane.org.