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Health & Fitness

LTHS sponsors Anti-Texting While Driving Campaign

During a recent Anti-Texting While Driving Campaign held at South Campus, 473 Lyons Township High School students pledged not to text and drive.

Four hundred seventy-three Lyons Township High School students pledged not to text and drive during a recent Anti-Texting While Driving Campaign held at South Campus. The Driver’s Education Department broadcasted messages over the PA system, the marquee at South Campus and in the student cafeterias as well as aired public service announcements on LTTV. They also hosted a poster competition, with students judging the final winners.

 

The weeklong campaign featured One Simple Decision (OSD), a driving simulator created with the direct participation of law enforcement, judicial and trauma personnel, which focuses exclusively on the consequences of impaired and distracted driving. The risks addressed include driving impaired by alcohol, fatigue, or illegal/prescription drugs as well as texting, cell phone use, peer distractions and other electronics.

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OSD illustrates the consequences of choices made behind the wheel. Through the combination of driving simulation, intense interactions and first-person consequence videos, drivers are immersed in an emotional and personal experience that results from “One Simple Decision” they chose to make when driving.

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Drivers Education teacher Paul Krick said, “The drivers ed department feels the need to do something to fight the growing problem of texting while driving.  We see the negative effects of cell phone use every day. There are far too many close calls from people who are not paying attention, and we thought bringing in a driving simulator and giving the students a chance to drive distracted would be a great hands on learning experience. “

 

Retired Chicago police officer and member of NOBLE, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Clarence Moore led the OSD demonstration. NOBLE utilizes the One Simple Decision software program because it allows drivers to experience dangerous situations in a safe environment.  Moore says, the simulations allow drivers to realize the consequences and effects of impaired or distracted driving, which range from personal hardship to the possible effects on future employment. “The goal is to effect and change behaviors through learning experiences,” he said. 

 

Real life consequences of poor decisions while driving are seen and felt first hand through OSD. OSD is a reality-based program that details the inevitable consequences associated with each type of driving behavior. The resulting outcome of this unique first hand experience provides a powerful reference for future decision making, ultimately modifying driving behaviors.

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