In it, students learn about the risks of drinking alcohol and taking drugs, the tragic consequences of impaired driving, and the dangers of being a passenger in a car driven by an impaired driver, the information said. The RV seats up to 32 students at a time and can accommodate 150 to 200 students each day.
The presentation was organized by Shawna Leson SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) advisor for CCS.“We are very excited to take our education program for elementary students to this unique and dynamic new level,” said MADD Canada National President Patricia Hynes-Coates. “SmartWheels educates young students about the dangers of alcohol, drugs and driving before they face making choices about those things. Our mobile classroom inspires young people to make a difference and be the generation that chooses not to drive impaired.”The SmartWheels presentation was developed by educators with expertise in curriculum development at the elementary school level, the information said. It features videos about the effects of alcohol and cannabis on developing brains and bodies, and on driving abilities. Students use individual tablets to respond to multiple-choice questions about the material and participate in “choose your own adventure” decision-making scenarios about impaired driving. The outcome of the stories depend on the students’ answers to questions.During the presentation, students put on their virtual reality goggles and see how it looks and feels to drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol. They also see the personal story of one young victim of impaired driving, who lost two of his best friends in an impaired driving crash when the kids were all about 12-years-old.
Participating schools are provided with a comprehensive Educators’ Guide to facilitate pre and post-presentation discussion about the material presented and the risks of alcohol and drug use.Impaired driving takes a disproportionate toll among young Canadians: traffic crashes are the leading cause of death among 16 to 25 year olds with approximately 55 per cent of crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs, it said. Further, studies show that the use of alcohol and cannabis starts as early as age 11 and that use increases steadily between grades 7 and 9. MADD Canada has created the SmartWheels program to reach youth and educate them about the harms associated with alcohol and drug use before they are at risk.
