More than 50,000 teens have seen the EndDD.org high school distracted driving presentation across the country. All of the speakers report that parents are not role modeling safe driving behaviors for their teens. More than half of the teens say that their parents will often drive distracted with them in the car. Some teens have tried to have mom or dad drive safer but have been told to “Do as I say not as I do,” “I have been driving for more than 25 years without an accident” or that “I am an experienced driver so I can multi-task while driving .” Last week Joel Feldman spoke with 550 students and faculty advisers from more than 35 high schools across New Jersey at the Fall Leadership Conference of New Jersey’s FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America). FCCLA is a career and technical student organization and focuses on leadership development for youth through action in the home, school, community and work place.
Distracted driving awareness and prevention will be the focus New Jersey’s FCCLA 2012-13 activities. “Teens need to feel that they are not alone when it comes to having parents who drive distracted, being afraid for their safety and that of their parents as well as receiving contradictory messages from parents about safe driving. In the EndDD.org presentation we use role play to highlight the conflicting messages parents give teens and to empower teens to speak up for their safety when driven by distracted drivers, including mom and dad.”
In this video, a teacher plays the part of a very distracted and dangerous parent-driver and a student plays the role of her son, imploring her to drive safer. The audience enjoys the role play and, at the same time, learns that speaking up for their safety not only protects them but also shows that they care for the safety of the driver, two very important lessons that will help change the culture of driving in this country.
To arrange for a free distracted driving presentation at your school or community event send an e-mail to [email protected].
