Texting and driving, drowsy driving, and having multiple people in your car. What do all these have in common? Distracted driving and the members at the Teen Center learned more about these distractions while taking the BGCDT Safe Driving Road Code sponsored by UPS. Over 20 teens and counting are taking the Safe Driving program here at the Teen Center to be better aware of bad driving habits.
The Teens not only learned about various types of distractions and how to avoid them, but also about how to become better defensive drivers, avoid accidents even if another driver is not following the rules of the road, great driving tips and much more! Members were shocked on how many accidents occur each day and year. For an example, 8 teens die every day due to simple things like not wearing a seat belt and being distracted.
This all sounds like great information to learn, but it would be better with practice, right? Well members were able to practice with our new driving simulator. They had a blast learning how to drive as well as different experiences in different driving conditions such as weather and fog, driving in different kinds of areas such as rural/highway, city, construction zones and more. The simulator provided members with different environments and conditions to better prepare themselves for when they are on the road.
The members felt like they got a lot out of this program. When we asked one of them what exactly they learned and how they felt about driving now they said, “I feel like I learned what it’s like to be in the driver’s seat and actually drive instead of just sitting there. I feel a bit more ready to drive than before.”
The program consisted of a 1 day session of watching videos, learning, playing a board game, and of course getting some simulator time and gaining experience. At the end of the program members were given a certificate of completion as well as saving money through some auto insurance companies for completing this program.
Thank you UPS for providing us with the resources to conduct this great program!
Check out more images of the program here!
