MOUNT VERNON — Knox Public Health has received another $142,000 to expand access to teen driver training for low-income families.
The organization is among 35 school districts and government agencies that received funding through the Drive to Succeed Scholarship Program. Round 2 funding totals nearly $2.5 million.
The Ohio Traffic Safety Office administers the program.
Nicole Lybarger, KPH’s public relations coordinator, said the agency has not yet decided how to use the grant money.
KPH received $15,000 last year in the program’s first round of funding.
Suzanne Dapprich, KPH emergency preparedness and safe communities coordinator, said previously that she applied for the $15,000 because 22 percent of Knox County’s population is youths 18 and under.
Additionally, the overall poverty rate in the county is 12.5 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
About Drive to Succeed
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine launched the scholarship program in 2022 to support teen driver training for families who cannot afford the cost of a driving school. The funding is expected to provide driver training scholarships to approximately 5,500 Ohio students living in 43 counties.
DeWine announced the awards on Monday.
“This program is already helping hundreds of teens learn skills to be safer drivers, and we are happy to help even more young people receive driver training,” he said in a press release. “When young drivers know the strategies to stay safe on the roads, the roads are safer for everyone.”
Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, noted in the release that about half of Ohio teens complete the mandatory training requirements and get their driver’s license before turning 18.
“But the other half who wait to get licensed are more likely to be involved in a crash in the first year they have a license. This is proof that driver training makes a difference,” he said.
“Driver training plays a crucial role in setting teens up for a successful future,” said Emily Davidson, OTSO Director. “By distributing these funds to local jurisdictions, we can address the specific localized needs and resources of the community.”
DeWine has introduced other traffic safety initiatives, including the Creating Opportunities for Driver Education (CODE) Grant. CODE supports the expansion of driver training options in underserved areas.
