Lowndes High School students who attend an upcoming Safe Driving Summit will learn about the dangers of distracted, impaired and unsafe driving from real-world crash and survivor cases intended to help young drivers make better decisions that can save lives.
 
The summit will be held Feb. 6 at the high school, 1606 Norman Drive in Valdosta, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The program begins at 9 a.m. It is not open to the public, but the media are invited.
 
This will be the sixth Safe Driving Summit of the 2023-2024 school year and the first in Southwest Georgia for the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) and the Lutzie 43 Foundation. Executive Director Mike Lutzenkirchen started the Foundation after the death of his son, Philip, who was a passenger in a distracted and impaired driving crash in 2014. His number was 43 when he played football at Auburn University.
 
“We hope that the Safe Driving Summits will help lower the number of crashes and fatalities on Georgia roadways. We’re looking forward to hosting the first Safe Driving Summit of 2024 to help educate the students at Lowndes High School about the dangers of unsafe driving. Education and behavioral changes can lead to safer roads for all,” said Sam Harris, Georgia DOT State Safety Engineering Manager.
 
The nearly 1,000 Lowndes High School students expected to attend the opening keynote of the summit will hear from Tim Golden, who represents the 8th Congressional District, Georgia DOT safety specialists and Lutzenkirchen. Jacee Thomas, who survived a train vs car collision when she was 17, will also take the stage. Jacee and her mother, Beth Ann Thomas, will talk about Jacee’s ongoing recovery after the 2016 crash and the impact it has had on their family.

The all-school assembly will be followed by smaller group breakout sessions. Emergency first responders, local and state law enforcement officers, emergency room/trauma doctors and nurses and trucking industry members will share their experiences with the consequences of distracted, impaired and unsafe driving.
 
“One of the main goals of the Safe Driving Summits is sharing the importance of wearing a seatbelt, following the posted speed limit and taking responsibility for driving actions on the roads. Of the 1,830 people that died on Georgia’s roads in 2022, 60% of victims were not wearing their seatbelt or usage couldn’t be determined,” Georgia DOT’s Harris said.
 
Participation in Safe Driving Summits continues Georgia DOT’s mission to educate drivers about simple changes that can improve safety and save lives. Georgia DOT launched its Drive Alert Arrive Alive safety campaign in 2015 to encourage drivers to buckle up, stay off the phone and drive without distractions.