Annual report, fiscal year 2018

FISCAL YEAR 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

In accordance with O.C.G.A. 15-21-181(b), the Georgia Driver's Education Commission (GDEC) submits this report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the committee chairpersons for the standing committees in the Senate and House of Representatives that are assigned issues related to motor vehicles. This report contains data on the amount of funds collected from the additional penalty imposed on traffic citations for driver's education for the previous three fiscal years, the amount of such funds appropriated to the commission for each corresponding year, and the manner and purposes for which such funds have been expended.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Georgia Driver's Education Commission is to maximize participation in driver's education and training to reduce motor vehicle crashes by making driver's training accessible and affordable to all Georgians.

Commission Members:
Harris Blackwood, Chairman Spencer R. Moore, Vice Chairman Alfred Barber Kevin Boyd Beth Graham Lidell Greenway Malika Reed Wilkins
7 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Suite 643 Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Phone: (404) 656-2769 www.gahighwaysafety.org/gdec/

FISCAL YEAR 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

GEORGIA DRIVER'S EDUCATION COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Board Composition
Pursuant to O.C.G.A 15-21-173, the Georgia Driver's Education Commission shall consist of eight members who shall serve for terms of four years. The State Board of Education shall appoint one member of the commission and the Department of Driver Services shall appoint two members of the commission. The director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety shall appoint one member of the commission. The remaining four members of the commission shall be appointed by the Governor, two of whom shall be public school driver's education providers and the other two shall be private driver's education providers. The Governor shall designate a chairperson of the commission from among the members.

Harris Blackwood, Chairman Director, Governor's Office of Highway Safety Appointed by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety
Spencer R. Moore, Vice Chairman Commissioner, Department of Driver Services Appointed by the Department of Driver Services
Alfred Barber President, Barber's Driving School Appointed by the Governor Representing
Private Driver's Education Providers
Kevin Boyd State Board of Education, Ninth District Representative Appointed by the State Board of Education
Beth Graham Driving Instructor, Marietta/Cobb Driver's Education Appointed by the Governor Representing
Public Driver's Education Providers

Lidell Greenway Vice President for Facilities, Wiregrass
Georgia Technical College Appointed by the Governor Representing
Public Driver's Education Providers
Malika Reed Wilkins Sr. Principal, Transportation Marketing
Manager, Atlanta Regional Commission Appointed by the Department of Driver Services
Vacancy Appointed by the Governor Representing
Private Driver's Education Providers

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SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 GEORGIA DRIVER'S EDUCATION COMMISSION

FISCAL YEAR 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

Problem Identification

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA), February 2018 Traffic Safety Facts report

on Young Drivers (DOT HS 812 498) 1,908 young drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 years old died in motor

vehicle crashes in 2016 across the United States. The National Center for Health Statistics reported that motor

vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds. Also, according

to NHTSA's report on young drivers, 15-20 year olds accounted for 5.4 percent of

all licensed drivers in the United States. Even though the population for this age group decreased from 2007 to 2016, the percentage of young drivers increased by 2.1 percent since 2015 and motor vehicle travel remains the primary means of transportation in the United States.
Unfortunately, the national trends holds in Georgia with motor vehicle crashes being the leading cause of death for Georgians between the ages of 1 and 34. In 2016, there were a total of 192 motor vehicle fatalities among young people under age 21. Of those, 92 were driving and lost their lives, 84 were passengers, and 16 were non-occupants (pedestrians or bicyclists). The

"...the national trends holds in Georgia with motor vehicle crashes being the leading cause of death for Georgians between the ages of
1 and 34."

number of young drivers under the age 21 involved in fatal crashes has unsteadily

decreased since 2008. In 2008, young drivers represented 11% of all drivers involved

in fatal crashes (221 young drivers). However in 2016, young drivers represented 9% of all drivers involved in fatal

crashes (188 young drivers). Although the number of young drivers involved in fatal crashes increased by 20 in

2016, the number remains lower than in 2008.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's web report on teen driving Teen

"...among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are males, teens driving with other

Driving, Get the Facts, reports that teens are at a higher risk of being in a motor vehicle crash than any other age group. The report went on to detail that "per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash" and stated that among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are males, teens driving with other teen passengers and newly licensed drivers. Additionally, the report highlighted that the presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers and that risk increases with the number of

teen passengers teen passengers, the risk of crashing is the highest during the first months of

and newly

licensure, and teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous

licensed drivers." situations or unable to recognize hazardous situations. The report also identified

the eight "danger zones" of teen driving and leading causes of teen crashes as

driver inexperience, driving with teen passengers, nighttime driving, not using

seat belts, distracted driving, drowsy driving, reckless driving, and impaired driving.

Fortunately, teen motor vehicle crashes are preventable and proven strategies can improve the safety of young drivers on the road through effective driver's education. Although these statistics paint a tragic picture, there are

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FISCAL YEAR 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

GEORGIA DRIVER'S EDUCATION COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ways to reduce the risk of crashes, injuries and fatalities on Georgia roadways. While our highway safety partners across Georgia will focus on other techniques to reduce injuries and fatalities on our highways, fostering and facilitating strong driver's education remains a paramount and effective component in the fight to reduce

"Fortunately, teen motor vehicle crashes are

injuries and fatalities among young Georgians on our roadways.

preventable and

Georgia Driver's Education Commission History

proven strategies can improve the

Senate Bill 225 (2005), known as Joshua's Law, created the Georgia Driver's

safety of young

Education Commission for the purpose of recommending to the Governor and General drivers on the road

Assembly changes in state programs, statutes, policies, budgets and standards

through effective

relating to the provision of driver's education and training. Since its inception, the Georgia Driver's Education Commission has worked to identify options for teen

driver's education."

drivers to satisfy the driver's education requirements mandated by state law for

young Georgians. Joshua's Law created a surcharge on all traffic citations in Georgia (originally 5%, now 1.5%), to

establish funding to support driver's education programs throughout Georgia. In

April of 2007, through an agreement between the Georgia Department of Driver

"Budget appropriations resumed in Fiscal Year 2015 and the Commission has since provided training to over 17,000 Georgia
students."

Services and the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, The Governor's Office of Highway Safety facilitated the allocation of the Georgia Driver's Education Commission funds by way of grant funding to support driver's education programs. During fiscal years 2007 through 2010, 58 programs received grant funding to create or support existing driver's education programs at public schools and libraries. In fiscal year 2011, the grant program was suspended due to lack of budget appropriation during the economic recession. The surcharge on traffic citations continued to be collected and
appropriated to other programs.

During the 2013 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly, Senate Bill 231 extended the sunset of the Georgia Driver's Education Commission until June 30, 2016 and reduced the amount of the surcharge collection from 5 percent to 1.5 percent. Budget appropriations resumed in Fiscal Year 2015 and the Commission has since provided training to over 17,000 Georgia students. After budget appropriations resumed, the Commission continued support of existing driver's education programs at high schools and executed a contract with the Technical College System of Georgia to establish a scholarship program for driver's education. HB 806 during the 2016 legislative session extended the sunset to June 30, 2019 and assigned the Georgia Driver's Education Commission to the Governor's Office of Highway Safety for administrative purposes.

In fiscal year 2017, the Commission suspended the support of driver's education programs and launched the Georgia Driver's Education Commission Grant Scholarship Program in March of 2017. The program, open to public (public high school, technical colleges, universities, and other state-owned driver education programs) and privately owned (commercial, for-profit driving schools and non-profit organizations, and private schools) awards driver's

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SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 GEORGIA DRIVER'S EDUCATION COMMISSION

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education grant scholarships to students ages 15-17 years old who seek to complete a 36 hour (30 hours of

classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind the wheel instruction with an approved instructor) driver's education

program. In fiscal year 2017, the Commission also funded two pilot programs. The first program was with the

Department of Family and Children Services to assist students in foster care who had completed a driver's

education course in completing the forty hours of supervised driving with a driving school. The second program

supported the Governor's criminal justice program. The Commission provided funding to train youth in custody

of the Department of Juvenile Justice in completing driver's education and completing the required forty hours of

supervised driving. When the students are released from the Department of Juvenile

Justice's custody, they will have obtained a driver's license and begin reentry

with baseline workforce credential.

"In fiscal year

Scholarships are awarded on a tiered priority system. First priority is given to grant scholarship applicants who are a child or dependent of a public safety professional or member of the United States military killed in the line of duty. Second priority is given to scholarship applicants who can demonstrate a need based on family income (financial need eligibility is based on 125% of the free and reduced priced school meal eligibility for Georgia). Third priority is given to all applicants who do not meet the

2017, the Commission suspended the support of driver's education programs and launched the Georgia Driver's Education Commission Grant Scholarship Program
in March of 2017."

criteria set forth in the first priority and second priority outlined above. All of the

applicants in the first priority are awarded before the second priority applicants; and

all of the second priority applicants are awarded before third priority applicants are awarded a grant scholarship.

If more grant scholarship applications are submitted than grant scholarships available in each priority level, grant

scholarships are awarded using a computer generated random selection method from the priority level applications.

Grant scholarships are evenly distributed among Georgia's United States congressional districts to ensure that all

Georgians are considered despite geographical location.

The Georgia Driver's Education Grant Scholarship Program was continued in fiscal year 2018.

Fiscal Year 2018 Activities
In fiscal year 2018, the Commission awarded 5,484 driver's education scholarships through the Georgia Driver's Education Grant Scholarship Program. Of those, 658 student forfeited scholarships or chose not to complete driver's education through an authorized provider in the program. The remaining 4,826 students who completed driver's education represents a value of $1,951,417.87 paid in driver's education grant scholarships. Below is a listing of the driver's education providers participating in the program, with the number of training locations operated by each provider, the number of scholarships redeemed by each provider, and the financial value of the scholarships redeemed by each provider. In addition, the Commission continued funding the Governor's criminal justice program to train youth in custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice for the first five months of fiscal year 2018 at a value of $267,854.17.

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FISCAL YEAR 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

GEORGIA DRIVER'S EDUCATION COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Provider
A-1 Driving School, Inc. Barber's Driving School, Inc.
A+ Driving Services, Inc. Taggart's Driving School Marietta City Board of Education South Cherokee/Jasper Driver Improvement Clinic Inc. West Metro Driving School New London School of Driving Inc. Georgia Piedmont Technical College Lanier Technical College Central Georgia Technical College Southern Regional Technical College Dickerson Driving School, Inc. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College West Georgia Technical College Advance Driving Academy Savannah Technical College Jones Driver Education School of Augusta, Inc.
A Driving Advantage Southern Crescent Technical College
Duluth DUI and Driving School North Georgia Technical College Georgia Northwestern Technical College Gwinnett County Board Of Education
Safety 1st Driver Education AA Academy of Action Driving School Southeastern Regional Driving and Safety Academy Inc.
Augusta Technical College Kennesaw Driving School Executive Results DUI & Defensive Driving School, LLC Nathan's Driving School, Inc. Atlanta Technical College Oconee Fall Line Technical College Albany Technical College Georgia Driving School, Inc.
FB Driving, Inc.
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Number of Locations
18 1 7 3 1 2 1 1 3 5 2 3 2 4 6 1 4 1 1 4 1 3 3 12 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 2 1 1

Number of Scholarships Redeemed
799 237 175 143 169 133 130 112 132 132 127 123 82 112 109 99 106 87 79 101 75 98 91 92 78 66 73 82 56 62 48 68 68 67 55 64

Value of Scholarships Redeemed $323,731.00 $106,413.00 $86,625.00 $70,785.00 $65,065.00 $59,850.00 $58,500.00 $55,440.00 $46,200.00 $46,200.00 $44,450.00 $43,050.00 $40,590.00 $39,200.00 $38,150.00 $37,900.00 $37,100.00 $36,540.00 $35,550.00 $35,350.00 $34,875.00 $34,300.00 $31,850.00 $31,740.00 $31,122.00 $30,150.00 $28,835.00 $28,700.00 $27,720.00 $26,350.00 $23,910.24 $23,800.00 $23,800.00 $23,450.00 $23,375.00 $22,400.00

CONTINUED

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 GEORGIA DRIVER'S EDUCATION COMMISSION

FISCAL YEAR 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

Provider
Ogeechee Technical College Just Driver Training
Coastal Pines Technical College Rockdale-Newton Driving School South Georgia Technical College
Columbus Technical College Oconee County Board of Education
DriveSmartGeorgia.com Safe America Foundation, Inc. !!@LFA Driving School of Atlanta !!, LLC Southeastern Technical College Southern Defensive Driving School
Athens Technical College Preston Driving School 1st United Driving & DUI School
AABACUS, Inc. First Class Defensive Driving Towne Lake Driving School, LLC
Calhoun City BOE Brock's Driver Education School, Inc. Gordon County Board of Education
Ms. June's Driving Lessons Thomas County Board of Education
All Star Driver Education, Inc. White County Ninth Grade Academy
61 PROVIDERS

Number of Locations
2 1 5 1 2 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1
142 LOCATIONS

Number of Scholarships Redeemed
60 40 52 35 37 36 28 22 21 18 25 21 17 11 12 9 10 6 10 7 8 6 3 1 1
4,826

Value of Scholarships Redeemed $21,000.00 $20,000.00 $18,200.00 $17,325.00 $12,950.00 $12,600.00 $11,198.88 $10,978.00
$9,954.00 $8,910.00 $8,750.00 $8,295.00 $5,950.00 $5,500.00 $4,941.00 $4,050.00 $3,500.00 $2,910.00 $2,900.00 $2,695.00 $2,360.00 $2,309.76 $525.00 $299.99 $250.00
$1,951,417.87

Funding History

Year Amount of Funds Collected*

Amount of Funds Appropriated to the Commission*

2016

$3,313,536.34

2017

$3,095,265.73

2018

$3,004,583.73

$3,746,221.00 $3,313,516.00 $3,095,265.73

*It is the intent of the General Assembly that, subject to appropriation, an amount equal to such proceeds received from such fines in any fiscal year shall be made available during the following fiscal year to the commission.

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DRIVER'S EDUCATION FAST FACTS
Teen drivers who have not completed driver's education are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket. Teen drivers who have not completed driver's education are 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injurious crash. Teen drivers who have not completed driver's education are 16 percent more likely to have a crash. Ten percent of students who took driver's education were ticketed for moving traffic violations, compared to 18 percent of those who did not take driver's education. Teens taking driver's education are less likely to be involved in crashes or receive tickets during their first two years of driving.
*Fast Facts obtained from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Driver Education Program Instructor Fact Sheet (statistics cited from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska Prevention Center of Alcohol and Drug Abuse).
FISCAL YEAR 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018