Youth Transportation Safety

Texas A&M Transportation Institute
1100 NW Loop 410
Suite 600
San Antonio, TX 78213
(512) 407-1139
[email protected]

Gabriella Kolodzy is an Assistant Research Scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), where she has dedicated over a decade to advancing youth transportation safety. Throughout her tenure, Gabriella has played pivotal roles in the Teens in the Driver Seat® and U in the Driver Seat programs, serving as a regional representative, communications specialist, grant writer, and project manager. Her multifaceted expertise includes facilitating focus groups, delivering training, and producing multimedia content to support public outreach. Gabriella has led significant projects such as the Statewide Youth Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety grant, where she implemented a data-driven approach to cross-reference crash data with school programming, creating an online tool for staff and TxDOT partners.

In addition to her outreach efforts, Gabriella is deeply involved in research, focusing on vulnerable road users and youth behaviors and attitudes. She has contributed to numerous studies, including projects on transportation asset management, social media strategies for research dissemination, and identifying barriers within driver education. Gabriella’s passion lies in understanding the root causes of risky behaviors and applying data-informed, people-centered strategies to drive behavior change and prevent crashes. Her educational background includes a Master’s in Public Administration from the Texas A&M Bush School of Government and Public Service, with a focus on public policy and non-profit leadership. Gabriella’s professional experience in communications, injury prevention, and research positions her as a qualified source to support the implementation of the Safe System Approach, making her a valuable asset in the mission to save lives on the road.