Governor's Office of Highway Safety Awards Grant to the Lutzie 43 Foundation

Organization Dedicated to the Reduction of Distracted, Impaired and Unsafe
Driving Receives $258,000 to Bring Safe Driving Summits to Georgia High Schools

MARIETTA, Ga., Dec. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lutzie 43 Foundation is pleased to announce it has received a $258,000 grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). This grant will help finance seven Safe Driving Summits, where students will hear from first responders, law enforcement, professional drivers, healthcare trauma and rehab professionals, and community leaders who will offer firsthand insights into the devastating consequences of unsafe driving behaviors. Students will be equipped with hands-on learning, interactive sessions and real-world strategies with the goal of reducing distracted, impaired and unsafe driving through the 43 Key Seconds safe driving initiative.

"Innovative projects like this are designed with the intent for Georgia and our nation to reach the realistic goal of zero traffic deaths by the middle of this century," said Allen Poole, Director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. "Each life saved on our roads is one less family that will have to live with the pain of losing a loved one whose life was taken from them in a traffic crash that was completely preventable."

"We are honored to receive this generous grant and partner with the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety," shares Executive Director, Mike Lutzenkirchen. "Every Safe Driving Summit we host is an opportunity to equip teens with our 43 Key Seconds safe driving initiative to make safe, smart decisions behind the wheel. By working with GOHS and other roadway safety advocates, we are committed to creating a culture of responsibility and awareness that will reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities on Georgia roads."

The grant year for this award will be October 1 of 2025 to September 30 of 2026.

The Lutzie 43 Foundation was established in memory of Philip Lutzenkirchen, a former Auburn University football player who tragically lost his life in a single-vehicle crash caused by distracted, impaired and unsafe driving. The objective of the Lutzie 43 Foundation is to encourage and empower teens to be positive ambassadors for safe driving through education and the 43 Key Seconds Safe Driving initiative. Since the program's launch in 2022, the Lutzie 43 Foundation has hosted 33 Safe Driving Summits, engaging with more than 80 high schools and more than 23,600 students to foster safe driving practices among young drivers. 

The Governor's Office of Highway Safety's mission is to educate the public on safe driving behaviors and implement highway safety campaigns and programs designed to reduce crashes and eliminate fatalities and injuries on Georgia roads.

For more information on this grant program, contact GOHS at 404-656-6996 and for more information on GOHS and other highway safety programs, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org

SOURCE Lutzie 43 Foundation