The inaugural Safe Driving Summit, presented by Southwire, will take place in Carrollton, Georgia, at the University of West Georgia on Thursday, March 31, 2022
As an initiative put together by the Lutzie 43 Foundation and the Georgia Department of Transportation, the two organizations will host the inaugural Safe Driving Summit in Carrollton, Georgia this spring. The purpose of the Safe Driving Summit is to gather teen drivers from across the county to learn about the dangers of distracted and impaired driving, hear from industry experts about how they can protect themselves and others on the road, and ultimately end distracted and impaired driving. The Carrollton Safe Driving Summit is presented by Southwire.
Students from Bowdon, Central, Mount Zion, Villa Rica High Schools and Southwire Company’s 12 for Life program will gather on Thursday, March 31, at The Coliseum on the University of West Georgia campus for the inaugural event. Students participate in a keynote presentation given by Mike Lutzenkirchen, executive director of the Lutzie 43 Foundation. Students will be split into groups following the keynote presentation and rotate through breakout sessions led by safe driving experts. The host organizations’ students will share their experiences from the event with their peers and family and positively influence their community for safe driving.
The breakout sessions will be delivered by Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), TextLess Live More, state, county and city law enforcement, StateFarm, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, WellStar Health System, J & M Tank Lines Inc. and American Trucking Associations.
“Hosting the inaugural Safe Driving Summit in Carrollton, Georgia is just the beginning,” said Mike Lutzenkirchen, executive director of the Lutzie 43 Foundation. “My son was killed as a passenger in a distracted and impaired driving accident. The Lutzie 43 Foundation has been on a mission to prevent what happened to Philip from happening to others. Hosting the first of many Safe Driving Summits means that over 350 teen drivers will leave with the tools and the knowledge they need to make smart decisions behind the wheel and not be a statistic in the distracted and impaired driving epidemic. This event would not be possible without the foundation’s partnership with GDOT and the local sponsors like Southwire, UPS, Zaxby’s and more that have bought into being a part of the solution to end distracted and impaired driving.”
The Lutzie 43 Foundation and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) recently entered into a partnership to end distracted and impaired driving in Georgia. The partnership will promote the Lutzie 43 Foundation’s 43 Key Seconds safe driving initiative and the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Drive Alert Arrive Alive campaign in an effort to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities in Georgia caused by unsafe driving such as distracted and impaired driving, speeding or not wearing a seatbelt.
Media are welcome to attend the Safe Driving Summit. Please email Katie Stotts at [email protected] to request a credential for the event or schedule an interview about the Safe Driving Summit on-site or prior to the event. The press release announcing the partnership with GDOT and the Lutzie 43 Foundation is attached as well as the foundation’s press kit.
ABOUT LUTZIE 43 FOUNDATION:
The Lutzie 43 Foundation aims to encourage and empower all drivers to be positive ambassadors for safe driving through character development, mentorship and real-world application. The Lutzie 43 Foundation was established in loving memory of former Auburn football player Philip Lutzenkirchen, shortly after he lost his life in a car accident in 2014. In his memory, the foundation’s 43 Key Seconds safe driving initiative aims to create the first nationally-recognized symbol for distracted and impaired driving awareness and prevention. The foundation’s motto for youth is to “Live like Lutz, Love like Lutz, and Learn from Lutz,” reflecting its desire to help others live out the many positive character attributes that Philip displayed while learning from the circumstances that led to his death. For more information, visit lutzie43.org.
ABOUT THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:
Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. We’re involved in bridge, waterway, public transit, rail, general aviation, bike and pedestrian programs. And we help local governments maintain their roads. Georgia DOT and its nearly 4,000 employees are committed to delivering a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability and mobility. The Department’s vision is to boost Georgia’s competitiveness through leadership in transportation.
ABOUT DRIVE ALERT, ARRIVE ALIVE CAMPAIGN:
The Drive Alert Arrive Alive campaign seeks to change dangerous driving behaviors. The program focuses on educating Georgia drivers about simple changes they can make to save lives: buckle up, stay off the phone and drive alert. Through Georgia DOT’s partnership with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and the Georgia Department of Public Safety, the campaign helped reduce fatalities in Calendar Year (CY) 2019 by one percent.
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