MADD Georgia Takes Charge of Georgia Tech Program to Provide Training for Alcohol Sellers and Servers

On average, someone is killed by a drunk driver every 40 minutes, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Because MADD has been fiercely committed to eliminating drunk driving and preventing underage drinking, the Georgia chapter has agreed to assume responsibility for implementing the Responsible Alcohol Sales & Server Training (RASS) program beginning January 30. Access to the training can be found at www.maddga.org.

Initial implementation of the free, online program began at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2004 as part of GT SMART (Students Managing Alcohol Risk at Tech). With the grant project ending, GT SMART Director Marsha Brinkley has focused her efforts on finding an “institutional home” for RASS and other GT SMART programs.

RASS, the first online, interactive program of its type offered in the state, was designed to help alcohol licensees and their employees understand state laws -- specifically learning how to identify fake IDs and knowing when to stop service when necessary. The program was initially launched in Atlanta and, by request, began including counties throughout the state. In the past four years, it has expanded to 30 counties, 448 establishments and more than 6,800 enrollees in the alcohol-service industry.

“User surveys indicate that the program continues to have a positive impact on managers, servers and sales staff members who believe that RASS has helped them become more familiar with Georgia liquor laws and how they can take appropriate action when the laws are violated,” said Brinkley.

According to State Executive Director for MADD Georgia Denise Thames, assuming proprietorship of the RASS program reinforces MADD’S mission. “RASS fits right in with our mission to stop drunk driving and to prevent underage drinking,” concluded Thames.
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