Researchers from the College of Public Health received a grant from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to evaluate over 100 educational and law enforcement focused programs funded by the office.
For the 12th straight year, the Traffic Safety Research and Evaluation Group, led by principal investigator Carol Cotton, will systematically review and analyze grantee effectiveness and, ultimately, determine the overall effectiveness of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in managing grant-funded projects. To date, the group has received $3.8 million in grant money from GOHS for this ongoing project.
The current grant runs through Sept. 30.
GOHS is charged with educating the public on traffic safety issues while assisting communities and safety advocates in implementing programs that reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities on Georgia roadways. Its programs include Operation Zero Tolerance, Click It or Ticket and 100 Days of Summer H.E.A.T.
Using funding from the GOHS, Cotton’s evaluation group has conducted in-depth evaluations of all of the state’s traffic safety grantees over the past decade. These analyses have empowered GOHS to identify the programs that are most effective and either continue or expand them, according to Cotton.
In addition to program evaluation, researchers in the Traffic Safety Research and Evaluation Group also respond to requests from GOHS to examine a variety of traffic safety issues, such as distracted pedestrians, school bus safety laws, bicycle crashes, injuries and fatalities and the implementation and enforcement of legislation restricting cellphone use while driving.