LOS ANGELES--Dece,ber 26, 2012: RADD, the entertainment industry's voice for road safety, today announced the award of $272,000 in new grant funding for 2012-13 as part of its partnership with the University of California Irvine's Health Education Center to continue the growth and expansion of the California College DUI Awareness Project, now in its 4th year. The award is part of a $344,000 grant to UC Irvine's Health Education Center, awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Your lifestyle is your business. Don't take it on the road”
"TheĀ grant award was expanded this year to further RADD's outreach and messaging to even more campuses and students," said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. "College years should be about learning and expanding horizons, not the pain and tragedy of crashes."
The California College DUI Awareness Project currently involves 16 participating college campuses, with a goal of raising the total to 20 by September, in a statewide initiative to promote the RADD Designated Driver Rewards program. This program encourages the use of designated drivers, cabs and public transportation to help students avoid driving under the influence.
To support the program a statewide network of 244 RADD establishments (bars/restaurants) provide various incentives and rewards to students and other adults who serve as the designated driver for their friends. All RADD Retail Rewards partners receive free signage and there's no cost to sign up. Visit www.collegeisRADD.org for complete list of RADD Rewards partners.
Also supporting the DUI-prevention campaign is the RADD Car, a 2012 Scion xB donated to RADD by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. to further RADD's mission. The brightly wrapped vehicle serves as a rolling billboard to promote sober driving on California highways. At events hosted by partner campuses, the RADD Scion acts as an "attention grabber" to attract students to RADD's exhibit where they can win free Scion gear for correctly answering questions about alcohol and safe driving.
Participating campuses are grouped into five active regions: Sacramento Region (UC Davis, Sacramento State, University of the Pacific); Los Angeles Region (UCLA, USC, Cal State Northridge); Orange County Region (UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, Concordia University); San Diego Region (UC San Diego, University of San Diego, San Diego State, Cal State San Marcos); and the newly added Inland Empire Region (UC Riverside, Cal State San Bernardino, University of Redlands). The grant also supports expansion to the Bay Area Region this year, with recruitment of partner campuses starting in January.
ABOUT RADD:
RADD, the entertainment industry's voice for road safety, leverages its connections with responsible bars and restaurants to provide free non-alcoholic drinks, appetizers and other incentives to designated drivers carrying RADD cards. Participating businesses get free listings on regional websites and campus directories connected with the program.
RADD's efforts were lauded in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's report showing DUI deaths in California declining from 950 in 2009 to 791 in 2010. Paul McCartney and Aerosmith through ZZ Top -- including, Marc Anthony, Black Eyed Peas, Melissa Etheridge, Faith Hill, Jamie Lee Curtis, Trisha Yearwood, Elton John, Little Richard, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, No Doubt, Shaquille O'Neal, R.E.M., Justin Timberlake, and over 500 celebrity messengers have served as RADD spokespeople, saying to their fans: " Your lifestyle is your business. Don't take it on the road" For more information, please visit: College is RADD.
