Young drivers -- especially teenage drivers -- are proven by just about every conceivable statistic to be comparatively problematic motorists when compared to other drivers. That applies especially where car accidents, speeding and reckless driving are concerned.
With that in mind, Georgia legislators passed a law in 2005 that required an additional five percent surcharge to be tacked on to every traffic fine received by a Georgia driver, with that money to go to the Georgia Driver's Education Commission for establishment of an ongoing comprehensive training program for teen drivers.
It was well-intended -- even farsighted -- legislation, but there has turned out to be a rather large problem associated with it: Essentially, and despite massive inflows of cash resulting from the law, very little of the money has ever been used as intended.
That is the eye-opening conclusion of examination of the books recently by the state's Department of Audits & Accounts, with investigators stating that only about $8 million of the $57 million collected since enactment of the law in 2005 has ever gone to the commission as mandated.
That equates to a paltry 14 percent, a figure that naturally begs this question: Where has the rest of the money -- the lion's share -- gone over the past several years?
The auditors state that the commission regularly briefs relevant government bodies and informs them that 85 percent-plus of the money intended for drivers' programs is not being received and applied for the purpose.
It turns out that the state has been diverting the money into its general fund, with the governor's office and legislators using it for other programs and purposes.
Related Resource: The Augusta Chronicle, "Audit: Georgia driver's ed money goes elsewhere" Aug. 3, 2011
