Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) Commissioner Spencer R. Moore recently announced the receipt of a grant award of $61,196 for the period October 2023 through September 2024 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) for continued support of the State of Georgia Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program (ADAP). ADAP is a course designed to increase awareness among teens of the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol and the consequences of operating a motor vehicle while impaired or distracted.

“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,” commented Commissioner Moore.

By law, teens under the age of 18 are required to complete ADAP to obtain their Class D Georgia driver’s license. In fiscal year 2023, 51,213 students completed the ADAP course, and 43,357 students completed the

course online through eADAP. DDS also offers a free online ADAP component called Parent ADAP, with a free non-certified 3-year Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) for parents who complete the course.

This grant award will be used to fund an Operations Analyst who provides technical assistance related to ADAP and eADAP services, responds to customer emails and telephone calls, maintains close communication with instructors, assists teens with obtaining replacement certificates, produces comprehensive reports and trains instructors to teach the ADAP curriculum. The grant also will help fund a contractor web developer to automate the password reset function in the ADAP portal.

“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.”

More teen driving requirements plus the opportunity to conduct transactions such as renewing or

replacing a license/ID are available on the DDS website www.dds.georgia.gov or from the free mobile app, DDS 2 GO.