Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
“RU-CONNECTED?”
GEORGIA CAMPUSES PROMOTE SOBERING SELF-HELP
NATIONAL COLLEGE ALCOHOL AWARENESS WEEK
WHAT: NCAAW-National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week
Governor's Office of Highway Safety News Conference
WHEN: Monday, October 22, 2007 from 10:00-10:30AM
WHERE: Georgia Tech – Student Center Commons Area (outside)
WHY: Because 3-out-of-4 college students didn’t drink & drive last year
and peer education helps save lives!
FOCUS ON PREVENTING STATEWIDE CAMPUS ALCOHOL ABUSE
Across the country on more than a thousand campuses each Fall, college and university students join with their peers to promote Alcohol Awareness Week activities from October 21st through 27th. During NCAAW, students participate in events designed by campus peer educators to reinforce personal responsibility and respect, not only for state laws and school policies, but most importantly, for themselves, when it comes to alcohol consumption.
“RU-CONNECTED” CAMPAIGN
The “RU-Connected?” national campaign message encourages personal student empowerment to maintain connections with friends and make safe decisions in social situations where alcohol may be present. It reminds friends to stay connected to friends for safety. The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) will host this media event in cooperation with a coalition of Alcohol Coordinators and Educators from Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and the University of Georgia to increase sobriety awareness and strengthen year-round alcohol-related injury prevention efforts.
NEWS MEDIA WELCOME/PHOTO- OPS
Witness the “Fatal Vision” goggles driving course that reenacts the effects of alcohol on a driver’s brain. Coordination, concentration, perception, and reaction time are all diminished under the influence of alcohol. Every .02% increase in Blood Alcohol Levels nearly doubles a driver’s risk of being in a single-vehicle fatal crash. At .08% the risk is about eleven times greater.
INTERVIEW DUI VICTIMS AND EXPERTS
Come hear alcohol education messages from UGA running back Kregg Lumpkin and from former college athlete Eric Krug, now the victim of a drunk driver. Director Bob Dallas of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety will be the keynote speaker, followed by MADD-Georgia’s Kelly Carlson, Peer Educator Dominique Doyle from Georgia State University and Campus Alcohol Program Coordinator Tammy Turner from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Student delegations from Oglethorpe, Morehouse, Georgia Tech, UGA, GSU, and Georgia Perimeter Colleges will come to show their support for NCAAW.
(MORE MORE MORE)
(MEDIA PARKING)
Directions Driving south on I-75/I-85 into Atlanta:
Take Exit #249D (North Avenue). At the top of the exit ramp, turn right onto North Avenue. Cross Techwood Drive (the first light) and continue on North Avenue to Cherry Street and make a right. Make a left onto Ferst Drive. Follow Ferst and pass Hemphill Ave. Take a right onto Atlantic Drive. Continue straight until you pass the Bunger-Henry Building on your right.
Media vehicles are allowed to park off of Atlantic Street on the field facing the Campanile, behind the Student Center Commons. Please leave media parking card in vehicle’s window.
Directions Driving north on I-75/85 into Atlanta
Take Exit #250 (10th/14th Street). Turn left (west) onto 10th Street at the top of the exit ramp. Continue down 10th Street past Fowler Street and take a left on Atlantic Drive. Cross over Ferst Drive continue down Atlantic Drive, pass the Bunger-Henry Building on your right and you can park in the open field on your right. Please leave media parking card in vehicle’s window.
The Press Event will be held outside on the back-side of the Student Center Commons near the Campanile.
For on-site assistance the day of the event, please contact GOHS Planner Brook Nash at 706-340-3451 or Lisa Ray Grovenstein, Director of Public Relations at Georgia Tech at 404-894-8835.
(END RELEASE)
Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
34 Peachtree Street—Suite 800—One Park Tower—Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Visit us on the web at www.georgiahighwaysafety.org
Sonny Perdue, Governor Robert F. Dallas, Director