North Center Revitalization Assoc. (NCRA)

Mesa high school students are getting a lesson in driving safety

during Drivers Safety Week

For Release: April 14, 2006
Contact: Jean DeStories
Traffic Safety Educator
(480) 644-3398
jean.destories@cityofmesa.org

Mesa high school students are getting a lesson in driving safety during Drivers Safety Week

All six high schools in Mesa will be participating in Drivers Safety Week, held during each school's lunch hour during the months of April and May. Various presenters will be interacting with the students in the areas of driving safety, decisions and choices. Participating agencies include Mesa fire and police departments, parents of local high school students who have died due to a tragic collision, City of Mesa transportation division, Driver Safety Institute, AZSADD, MADD, Red Means Stop Coalition and FTC tow company.

Some the activities include:
--A quick buckle release game. Reminding kids to buckle up in all seating positions
--Mesa Police Dept. DUI van
--Crashed vehicle from 1996 crash that killed four high school students along with education from surving family members
--Road rage and and aggressive driving
--Poor decisions or wrong choices
--Fatal vision goggles show students what things look like if they were drinking

A crashed car is on display in the center of the campus, to provide a visual reinforcement of unsafe driving behaviors. Below is a schedule of the different schools and their driver safety week dates:

--April 3-6 Mountain View
--April 10-13 Westwood
--April 17-20 Dobson
--April 24-27 Red Mountain
--May 1-4 Skyline
--May 8-11 Mesa

Having different presenters on campus allows the students to ask questions and listen to people whose lives changed as the result of one tragic moment.