Since 2024, GHSA and General Motors (GM) have joined forces to tackle some of the most persistent and preventable dangers on U.S. roads – distracted and drowsy driving.
The collaboration between GHSA and GM reflects a shared commitment to making roads safer for everyone. By combining GM's resources and reach with GHSA's expertise and state-level networks, this partnership is translating research into real-world impact; one community, one campaign and one driver at a time.
Since 2024, GHSA and GM have directed $785,000 in grant funding to states developing innovative, data-driven approaches to distracted driving prevention. This investment has enabled states to pilot promising programs, engage communities and build lasting enforcement and education infrastructure.
In 2026, $200,000 in grants were awarded to two State Highway Safety Offices:
The Alaska Highway Safety Office, in partnership with the Center for Safe Alaskans, is implementing a program targeting young drivers that combines the Ready Assess simulated driving tool with mindfulness-based training. The initiative will raise awareness of how mindfulness can support safer driving through a statewide media campaign, school and community outreach and personalized driving feedback. Caregivers will also receive tools to help reinforce safe driving habits among youth during supervised practice.
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission, in partnership with Cambridge Mobile Telematics, is supporting law enforcement agencies’ use of StreetVision, a telematics-based tool that identifies areas with elevated risk of distraction. The project will help agencies better plan and adjust enforcement activities by incorporating data driven insights into patrol decisions. Training and support will be provided to licensed users and lessons learned will inform future distracted driving enforcement efforts in the state.
Each April, with support from GM, GHSA leads a national campaign to raise awareness about distracted driving and promote safer behaviors. In 2026, GHSA implemented a multi-faceted outreach effort designed to engage new audiences, elevate youth voices, and deliver impactful, action-oriented messaging.
Building on the success of 2025, in its 2026 campaign GHSA again partnered with social media influencers to deliver distracted driving prevention messages to broader audiences in relatable and engaging ways.
A key collaboration featured influencer family LaTroy and Nicole Tillery, who have more than 1.6 million followers across platforms. Their campaign posts encouraged followers to never drive distracted and generated millions of impressions, along with thousands of views and engagements, demonstrating strong audience interest, resonance with the message, and increased awareness of distracted driving risks.
Distracted driving isn't the only behavior that GHSA and GM are tackling. In 2026, GHSA published Wake Up Call! Report Update: Understanding Drowsy Driving and What States Can Do, a comprehensive research report shining a spotlight on this deadly but preventable behavior and providing states with practical, action-oriented steps to eliminate it.
Beyond the social media campaign, YMG developed the Youth and Drowsy Driving: A Social Media Toolkit for State Highway Safety Offices, providing SHSOs with ready-to-use messaging, graphics and resources to educate young drivers about the risks of driving while fatigued. The toolkit equipped states with resources to continue promoting drowsy driving prevention throughout the year.
As part of its partnership with GM, GHSA collaborated with YMG students and engaged social media influencers to raise awareness about the dangers of drowsy driving during Drowsy Driving Prevention Week 2025. The campaign reached nearly 483,000 impressions, generated more than 53,000 video views and drove over 2,800 engagements across social media platforms.
These joint efforts transformed traffic safety education into meaningful dialogue and action, combining peer-driven outreach, influencer storytelling and practical educational resources and reinforcing a shared commitment to preventing crashes, injuries and fatalities on our nation's roadways.
