What We Do:

Jackson State University’s Interdisciplinary Alcohol/Drug Studies Center (IADSC) is working on a grant with the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety called the Youth Alcohol Prevention Program or YAPP. The goal of YAPP is to bring awareness to young drivers, particularly aged 16 to 20 years old, the consequences of impaired or drunk driving through presentations, engaging activities, and information booths. Our mission is to effectively reach as many teens and young adults throughout the state of Mississippi as possible.

How We Do It:

• Presentations (classroom or auditorium)
• Booth Set Up (Lunchtime or Vendor)
• Engaging Conversations (With 1 person or 1000!) *No group is too big or too small
• Any Time (twenty-four/seven 365 Days A Year)
• Any Place (School, church, camps, clubs, etc.)

Why We Do It:

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for teens and young adults. Young drivers aged 15 to 20 years old are already 10x more likely to die in a car accident due to their lack of experience. When alcohol is added to the equation, they become 17x more likely to die in a car crash.

• About a quarter of all fatal crashes involve an underage drinking driver.
• Approximately 2,000 underage drinkers die each year behind the wheel.
• In 2021, 27% of young drivers aged 15 to 20 years old who were killed in crashes had blood alcohol concentration levels of .01% or higher.