Last Tuesday night, the Driving Distracted discussed about possible activities for the annual Voices for Change Youth Summit. The Group decided it was best to include interactive activities so everyone is engaged, and has a fun, memorable time, to remember not to drive distracted. Also, the Group decided to continue thinking about a PR campaign through the Howard County libraries, and how to achieve this goal.

Ideas for the Summit:

The group decided that it would be best if we divided the time we had into four sections, as well as break the students we get into four. The group will have four stations for the students to attend to. Each station will be five to seven minutes each.

1. Driving Distracted
2. What Would You Do?
3.  Fill In The Blank
4. Videos from Shock Trauma

Image by Dave Dehetre. Used under a Creative Commons by/2.0 licence.

“Driving Distracted” – In this station, students will be given a cell phone, but someone just texted them about their plans that evening. The student’s goal is to reply to the text message, but also drive the remote control car, through the various obstacles, stop signs, and other aspects that some one would see out on the road. The students will learn how difficult it is to text while driving, and how dangerous it can be by getting of course.

Materials:

☐ Remote control Car

☐ Soccer Cones

☐ Stop Sign

☐ Tape

“What Would You Do?” – In this station, students will be placed in four chairs arranged like a car. The driver has to remain undistracted by the others in the car from talking, the radio, their own text messages, etc. The student’s goal is to understand “the designated texter,” someone who will text for them if necessary.

Materials:

☐ Four Chairs

☐ Fake Steering wheel (Mario Kart Wheel)

☐ iPod Speakers

☐ iPod/iPhone

“Fill in the Blank” – I this station, there will be a game board in which there are three categories and five questions in each category. Students will pick a category and they will get a question from it. The statements will generally be statistics however, there will be a blank in them that the students have to fill in.

Materials:

☐ Game board Poster paper

☐ Expo Marker

Videos from Shock Trauma – Shock Trauma recently had a contest for students to create videos about distracted driving. The videos were fun, entertaining, and the winner was from Howard County.

Materials:

☐ Computer Collin

☐ LCD Projector

☐ Speakers Collin

☐ Mac Dongle Collin

☐ Shock Trauma Videos Collin

After The Session students will be given the 3D Pledge – Don’t Drive Distracted, as well as either a small wrist band or something memorable for their time at the Summit.

Blue are the names of people that can probably provide the materials.

Informative “PR Campaign”

The Distracted Driving group has learned that the best way to prevent distracted driving is to raise awareness. The group has thought that we could create a “science fair” display board with information about Distracted Driving, and have them presented at each teen section in each of the Howard County Libraries. The board would include:

Information about Distracted Driving

Statistics about Distracted Driving

PR Campaigns (3D Project, Distracted.org from NHTSA)

What you can do

Who We are (V4C)

Campaign Pictures

New Partnership

Distracted Driving is a serious issue in teens, specifically. Today in 2012, 1 in 29 deaths are related to Distracted Driving. By 2022, it is expected that 1 in 4 deaths are related to distracted driving. It should be our goal that we can do everything in our power to help prevent this number from being achieved. A group that help more than ever is of course the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA began their own program “One text, on call, Could Wreck It All.” NHTSA is very supportive of all groups, providing strategy outlines, and even PR tools, like their already made posters they suggest using. This partnership could be incredibly beneficial to V4C, and for both groups to continue the goal to put an end to Distracted Driving.

Next Meeting

1. Finalize plans for the Youth Summit
2. Vote on partnership with NHTSA
3. Ideas for Boards at Libraries & other activities at the Library

We would like to have one board completed by the Youth Summit, in order to see reactions from students to see if they could be effective at Howard County libraries.