Enddd.org aims to promote education about distracted driving to people of all ages. We have seen dramatic and positive results when sharing information about the importance of driving without distraction and believe that by focusing campaigns on the very young, we can change the future by slashing the frightening statistics, such as the fact that thousands of deaths are caused yearly by distracted driving.
Children Can Help End Distracted Driving
Children can be incredibly effective ambassadors for important causes. When they believe in something, they often become a champion for it and encourage one another as well as others in their lives. We’ve seen results with children presenting contracts or pledge sheets to grandparents and parents encouraging them to promise that they won’t drive distracted, especially with kids in the car. A child reminding their Mom or Dad not to answer the cell phone, even if they’re stopped at a traffic light, can hit home with a parent and make a difference in minimizing dangerous behaviors behind the wheel.
Teachers Can Help End Distracted Driving, Too
Teachers can play an important role and help spark action and drive messages home in young kids, too. In British Columbia, for instance, February was designated as Distracted Driving Awareness Month and elementary school children were encouraged to create distracted driving awareness posters.
Enddd.org has received positive feedback from efforts taken to raise awareness among high schools that were shown the Casey Feldman video which is featured on the US Department of Transportation site. While many parents and teachers don’t want to upset young children through showing graphic videos about tragedy, there are many ways to inform children of all ages about the dangers in a way that sparks interest and results in driving home the message—it’s dangerous to text and drive, talk on a cell phone while driving, drive while upset, or be affected by any other distractions on the road. By the time elementary-school children are driving—the essential message—to focus and mono-task could be ingrained.
Are you a teacher who has discussed this with your students? We recently received a comment from a Washington area teacher on this very subject:
I did show the video to the classes and the reaction was appropriately solemn. I think it is a good video as it is not violent in any way yet shows the seriousness of distracted driving. Thanks,
Kaeryn
(Check out our end distracted driving videos)
Teachers, please feel free to share with us what you are doing to teach children about preventing distracted driving. Parents, here are some tips for teens to discourage distracted driving.
