Drive Smart Colorado joins Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments - Colorado Springs Gazette

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After the loss of its executive director in December, Drive Smart Colorado has joined the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments in a move that will keep it running and foster more collaboration between both organizations to create a safer driving environment locally.

The pandemic hindered securing monies for Drive Smart, which is funded by grants, as well as finding a replacement for its former executive director Maile Gray, who retired last year after 27 years with the nonprofit, founder John Henry said.

The status change still allows Drive Smart, which works to reduce the number of traffic crashes through community partnerships and education, to continue operating as its own separate nonprofit under the purview of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, said Andy Gunning, the council’s executive director.

The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments will now help identify funding for Drive Smart’s programs, among which include teaching parents how to properly install car seats, promoting older driver and motorcycle safety, and coordinating with local law enforcement to lead its High School Traffic Safety Challenge.

“That gives us a good bit of added flexibility when it comes to funding,” Henry said.

Traffic crashes are on the rise statewide, showing the need for ongoing traffic safety education programs in the region, Gunning said. Additionally, Drive Smart’s efforts fit well with the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments’ existing programs, including its focus on regional transportation safety, mobility and efficiency; road engineering and maintenance; and its focus on senior populations, Gunning and Henry said.

“Working with Drive Smart in this capacity just enhances the work we were already doing and allows us to expand our reach to address significant issues affecting the residents and jurisdictions we serve,” Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments spokeswoman Jessica McMullen said.