Through the use of simulators at DRIVE SMART Virginia, Strasburg High School students recently received an in-depth lesson in the dangers of inattentive and intoxicated driving.
DRIVE SMART Virginia was founded more than two decades back as a reaction to the startling reality that car crashes are among the primary causes of mortality for youth. Teenage focus groups were held by the organisation to develop techniques for changing teens’ driving patterns. Statewide partnerships between DRIVE SMART Virginia and institutions include Woodstock’s Central High School.
Ben Bruce, Strategic Partnership Manager at DRIVE SMART Virginia, stated that his team goes across nearly a dozen schools annually, particularly to sophomore class. He elaborated further, stating that the objective is to give students a more upfront experience in drunk or disoriented driving prior to obtaining a licence or a permit.
Each programme course aims to increase students’ knowledge of the difficulties associated with inattentive and drunk driving.
The pupils took part in a virtual reality training mimicking negligent driving, an incapacitated pedal cart course, and a distracted driving training for adults. Additionally, the pupils were provided with goggles that imitate various degrees of both alcohol and drug intoxication so they could observe how these drugs alter their senses while operating a vehicle on the simulated tracks.
Bruce pointed out that adolescent accidents are more common in rural areas than metropolitan ones. A study by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) found that from 2016 to 2020, rural roadways accounted for 43% of alcohol-associated motor vehicle deaths. According to the data, 46% of all deaths involving distraction happened on rural roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated a few years back that people who were not wearing seat belts made up 52% of fatal automobile accident victims in the countryside.
Lauren Wlim, a PE teacher at Strasburg High School, claims that her students often disregard the statistics and additional data her department provides them. Wlim said that they do not want the lesson’s contents to end up as statistics. The material they are taught during lessons may be highly reinforced by really demonstrating it to them, and allowing them to observe how they collided, regardless of it just being on a screen.
Tripp Lamb, a physical education instructor and coach for the Strasburg varsity football team, praised the DRIVE SMART Virginia initiative and wished it would come back to Strasburg the following academic year.
They would want to do it once more, Lamb said. He emphasised that the folks involved in instructing have been terrific and extremely knowledgeable; and that this programme has been amazing. They had a great rapport with the kids and possessed considerable expertise about these topics. In terms of Strasburg High School, it has been quite helpful.
