Reality Week is set to start off with hats off — for safe driving, that is. On Monday, March 21, students have the opportunity to attend a Safe Driver Presentation and hear from three speakers, including one from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).
At this presentation, students will learn about roadway safety, the Missouri graduated driver license law, inexperience, distractions and consequences of unsafe driving. Teachers can sign their classes up for the hour and 30 minute-long event, which runs from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
“In the past couple of years for Reality Week, they’ve come to this school and given presentations,” Brooke Smith, an intern with the guidance office, said. “In late February, they wanted to do it again, and we wanted them back because not only is it educational, but it really fits into the age and just the demographic of CPS.”
Like many students at RBHS, Tracey Singer doesn’t have her license yet, but she believes the more awareness for safe driving, the better. From assemblies to presentations, the subject of road safety cannot be stressed enough.
“It’s always a good time [to hold these presentations]. There’s some older students in the classes, so they might be getting their permits and stuff, so it’s definitely close to that age,” Singer said. “They raise awareness and they actually teach students what they’re supposed to do. You hear about this all the time, but if you actually have someone directing this message at you, I think it’ll be more effective.”
[quote cite=”Brooke Smith”]For high school drivers, it’s really fun to go get your license and it’s just a fun time to drive, but I think just being more educated on how to be safer is always something that can be learned.[/quote] But it’s a different story for senior Emily Getzoff. Getzoff, a licensed driver, doesn’t believe the presentations make a large enough impact. With low publicity levels, students aren’t aware of the opportunities available during Reality Week. In addition to the low impact, the safe driving events offered don’t do much to change her habits.
“I try to drive safely, but I don’t really try to drive safely because of the assemblies or presentations,” Getzoff said. “I think there’s enough resources out there telling me to drive safely.”
While some students may find the presentation a regurgitation of what they’ve already heard from teachers and parents, the guidance office still wants to put an emphasis on road safety to ensure the general safety of students.
“The biggest focus is just being safer on the roads,” Smith said. “For high school drivers, it’s really fun to go get your license and it’s just a fun time to drive, but I think just being more educated on how to be safer is always something that can be learned.”