Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010

Students hear dangerous message of texting while driving

For some Garner High School students, the challenge was harder than it looked: Send a text message on a cell phone while driving a golf cart but don't hit the orange cones that outline the course.

The demonstration, led by a state Highway Patrol trooper, was aimed at teaching teens about the dangers of texting while driving. Many of the school's freshman and sophomores took part in the demonstration last week.

Stephanie Kelly, 16, said she got the message loud and clear while navigating the course. The teen, who has a learner's permit, hit some cones and was unable to send a reply text while driving the golf cart.

"Don't do it - ever," Kelly, a sophomore, warned. "Oh my goodness. You will kill someone. It's just a matter of when."

In North Carolina, it's against the law to text while driving.

It's impossible to know how many crashes involve drivers who were texting, said Trooper Dwight Green, a traffic-safety coordinator for the Highway Patrol. Drivers aren't quick to fess up when they break the law, said Green, who hosts driving presentations at schools across the state. "Most people don't want to admit to that," he said.

Green targets freshmen and sophomores, who are just starting to drive, to teach them about the dangers of distracted driving. Older teens are often already set in their ways, he said.

At Garner High, the goal was to break bad habits before they can start.

"Texting is part of their life, and it's something that can get in the way - in a lethal way," said Vickie Szarek, a teacher and sponsor of the Garner High chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions.

During the presentation, students sent golf-cart drivers a text message, and the drivers were supposed to send a reply message that contained at least four words. They could try to shoot off a text while at the course's stop sign, but a police siren would warn them that in the real world, they have to keep moving.

And the extra challenge: Orange cones represented people. Clip one with a golf cart tire, and someone was likely headed to the hospital.

Simone Moore, 14, a freshman, was only able to send a nonsense string of letters in response to a text message. Moore plans to take driver's education classes next semester, and she said she's not planning on texting while driving.

"No, I won't," she said. "That was too difficult."

Kelly, who plans to get her driver's license next summer, said she was scared during the exercise. "I can't even get [the phone] out of my pocket without killing or injuring someone," she said.

Instilling at least some fear is part of the plan. Along with the real-world driving experience, students watched videos that showed crash scenes and talked about the deadly outcomes of distracted driving.

Szarek said she hopes to host another presentation for more Garner High students next semester, and a crash demonstration will take place before the prom in the spring.

Of course, some students already have a reason to be scared about texting while driving - their parents. Lacy Buffaloe, 14, a freshman, said she wouldn't dream of taking the risk.

"My dad would yell at me," she said.