News Release
Submitted by: Malinda Lackey
Car crashes are a leading cause of traumatic injuries for teens in Crisp County: Special event highlights the dangers of distracted, impaired and unsafe driving
ATLANTA – March 4, 2025 - The Lutzie 43 Foundation, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT), will host a Safe Driving Summit at Crisp County High School on Thursday, March 6. The summit aims to educate local students about the critical importance of making safe driving choices by sharing impactful stories and lessons from real-world incidents and introducing students to the 43 Key Seconds Safe Driving Initiative. Crisp County ranks 97th in the state for its total crash rate involving young drivers, indicating a significant number of severe crashes relative to its population size according to Georgia DOT.
After attending the Safe Driving Summit in Valdosta, Crisp Regional Hospital Trauma Coordinator Ashley Bullington spearheaded the effort to have the Lutzie 43 Foundation and Georgia DOT bring the Safe Driving Summit to her area. Initially invited to Valdosta to observe the trauma room reenactment portion of the Safe Driving Summit, she saw the full impact of the many other activities and presentations that received positive responses from the participating students.
"The Safe Driving Summit in Crisp County is a crucial part of our mission to inspire safer driving habits among young drivers across the state to prevent distracted, impaired and unsafe driving," said Lutzie 43 Foundation Executive Director Mike Lutzenkirchen. “During 2024, 291 teens in Georgia lost their lives due to vehicle crashes, a tragic number and the reason to educate and empower students with the knowledge and tools they need, including the 43 Key Seconds Safe Driving Initiative."
During the keynote address, Lutzenkirchen will share the personal story of his son Philip's tragic death due to a distracted, impaired and unsafe driving crash in 2014. Additionally, attendees will hear from public safety specialists, Georgia DOT officials and professional drivers.
“Seeing the Safe Driving Summit firsthand, I recognized what a phenomenal thing this would be for young drivers in our area where car crashes are the second leading cause of trauma related injuries,” said Bullington. “We would love to see our county cut down the number of young patients we see because of crashes that could have been avoided.”
Students will participate in interactive breakout sessions led by first responders, law enforcement officers, trauma and rehab care professionals and representatives from the trucking industry. Trucking and driving professionals will offer their unique perspectives on road safety, sharing insights with students and giving them the opportunity to step inside a big rig to experience the driver's vantage point. These breakout sessions will offer firsthand insights into the devastating consequences of unsafe driving behaviors and equip students with practical strategies to avoid such outcomes.
“Leadership at Crisp County High School was very open and willing to host the Safe Driving Summit when I reached out and told them about the 43 Key Seconds Safe Driving Initiative,” added Bullington. “All of us want to ensure the students are ready to drive by encouraging them to make good decisions so they don’t end up in the trauma department or worse.”
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 6 at Crisp County High School.
ABOUT LUTZIE 43 FOUNDATION:
The Lutzie 43 Foundation aims to encourage and empower people to be positive ambassadors for safe driving through character development, mentorship and real-world application. The Lutzie 43 Foundation was established in loving memory of former Auburn football player Philip Lutzenkirchen, shortly after he lost his life in a vehicle crash in 2014. In his memory, the foundation’s 43 Key Seconds safe driving initiative aims to create the first nationally-recognized symbol for distracted, impaired and unsafe driving awareness and prevention. The foundation’s motto for all is to “Live like Lutz, Love like Lutz, and Learn from Lutz,” reflecting its desire to help others live out the many positive character attributes that Philip displayed while learning from the circumstances that led to his death. For more information, visit lutzie43.org.
