KNOXVILLE —The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Police Department has received two grants from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office to support its “Safe–T Begins with Me” campaign. The program aims to reduce alcohol-related driving incidents and speeding on campus.
The Alcohol Countermeasures grant focuses on educating the campus community on the dangers associated with drinking and how it can impact highway safety.
Educational elements funded by this grant will include a video that UTPD will host on its website. The video was produced by 360° Stay Safe, an organization which creates personal safety materials for colleges and universities. This video uses university students from around the country who talk about how to stay safe while on a college campus. The 360° “Stay Safe on Campus” video also will be incorporated into First Year Studies classes where students will be encouraged to make a commitment not to drink and drive. Those who decide to make the commitment will receive a “Safe-T Begins with Me” sticker decal for their automobile.
UTPD also will incorporate new tools in their existing community programs about the dangers of drinking and driving. These tools include a race car station where participants play a Wii racing game while wearing alcohol vision goggles. The “Sum It Up Cup” game will help participants see how the amount of alcohol in a beverage can affect the blood alcohol level.
The High Visibility Grant funding will go toward the purchase of new radar equipment. The focus of the High Visibility grant is to increase safety on campus roadways by decreasing the risk of crashes related to speeding. Selected officers will attend the Governor’s Highway Safety Office Instructor Radar Training. Annual training will be completed on the radar units, and these units will be used around campus to reduce speeding related incidents.
“The Governor’s Highway Safety Office has given our department an excellent opportunity to connect with the community through education and keeping our roadways safe,” Interim UTPD Chief Debbie Perry said. “If we all work together, we can keep our campus a safe area for everyone.”
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C O N T A C T :
Emily Simerly (865-974-0163, emilym@utk.edu)