The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has awarded the Georgia Department of Public Safety a Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic, or H.E.A.T., grant worth about $4.6 million to continue major traffic safety efforts across the state. The grant took effect October 1, 2025, and runs through September 30, 2026.

DPS Commissioner Colonel William W. Hitchens, III says the funding will strengthen enforcement aimed at removing impaired drivers from Georgia roads and improving overall roadway safety. The grant supports the GSP Nighthawks DUI Task Force, the Administrative License Suspension program, and statewide mobilization patrols that focus on DUI enforcement and violations that contribute to crashes.

The H.E.A.T. program’s goals include reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities tied to impaired driving and speeding, increasing seatbelt use, and educating drivers about the dangers of driving under the influence.

GOHS Director Allen Poole said sustained traffic enforcement saves lives and supports the shared goal of zero traffic deaths.

The Nighthawks DUI Task Force is split into three specialized units: North, Middle, and South, each staffed by Georgia State Patrol troopers trained in impaired-driving enforcement. The ALS program, created in 2004, provides troopers training and legal support as cases move through license suspension hearings when drivers contest administrative suspensions.