According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes every day — that’s one person every 39 minutes. In 2022, that amounted to 13,524 people who lost their lives in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths. During that same year, distracted driving claimed 3,308 lives, and 693 deaths resulted from drowsy-driving-related crashes. Sadly, all these deaths were preventable.
In order to help educate young drivers, the Safe a Life Tour – a safe driving program based in Grand Rapids, Michigan visited Crestwood High School in Mantua last week. Health Educator Ben Middleton presented the program, which emphasized distracted driving and impaired driving, sharing interactive demonstration and driving simulators with students to highlight the dangers in hopes of saving a life.
Through the presentation and simulations, students learned that distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving. It can include talking or texting on your phone, eating or drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, adjusting the stereo or navigation system — anything that takes attention away from the task of safe driving. Middleton noted that sending or reading a text may take your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. But when traveling at 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
While many are aware of the dangers of distracted driving and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, many overlook the danger of exhausted driving. Middleton shared his own story where he was fortunate to have walked away without serious injury. Sadly, he lost a friend in college who wasn’t as fortunate. He shared that whether exhaustion, alcohol, over-the-counter medication, or drugs are involved, “if you don’t feel like yourself, you shouldn’t be driving.”
Middleton provided students with the opportunity to safely experience impaired driving and texting while driving using driving simulators. Students learned the valuable message that any non-driving activity is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.
But teens aren’t the only ones at risk for distracted, exhausted, or impaired driving. Parents can talk to their young drivers about the responsibilities that come with driving. More important, however, is the opportunity to lead by example — by never driving distracted.
The program came to Crestwood High School thanks to Safe Communities grant funding from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. Health Educator Kylee McCracken from the Portage County Health District helped facilitate the program on behalf of the organization that helped bring the program to Crestwood. Crestwood’s sophomores, juniors, and seniors attended the program, which was held in the CHS gymnasium.
The Save a Life Tour visits high schools and colleges across the country, and military installations around the world. For more information, visit savealife.com.
