JACKSON – Students at both township high schools got the message of the dangers of driving while impaired following their participation at a Arrive Alive event.
Two Student Assistance Counselors Laureen Caggiano and Lisa Cleary organized the event that reinforced the fact that contrary to popular belief, teenagers are not invincible.
The Arrive Alive simulator allows for distracted driving, marijuana intoxicated, and drunk driving experiences from the safety of a parked car.
The first “driver” of the simulated Arrive Alive car experience crashed almost immediately due to the goggles they were wearing that simulated being under the influence and the realization hit them that operating a vehicle while impaired is a scary experience.
The exercise also got the students to talk about just how far they got before crashing and what it was like.
It also led to a dialogue about what they would do were they to witness someone about to drive a vehicle while under the influence. They talked about who they would call and what other options would be available to an impaired driver such as calling a taxi, Uber or Lift.
Lisa Cleary, the Student Assistance Counselor at Jackson Liberty High School who coordinated the visit at her school said, “they were really understanding that it only takes a couple of seconds for something to go wrong. I love that it generated those conversations and that they were so engaged in those conversations.’’
The school counselors said this event, which was sponsored by the Jackson Municipal Alliance, was one of many ways the schools strive to reinforce positive decisions and behaviors, especially this time of year. The Jackson Municipal Alliance and counselors were grateful for this program that helped students understand how easily accidents – especially fatal ones – could happen if they are driving under the influence or driving while distracted.
“I’ve been driving a long time and I got behind the wheel thinking I know what to do or expect and I was so wrong,” said Jackson Memorial High School Student Assistance Coordinator Laureen Cagianno, who coordinated the event at her school. “I failed all of it. It felt so real and it was such a valuable experience.”
She added that the students took the challenge seriously and tried very hard to “beat” the simulator and “arrive alive.” She said the fact that it simulated not only impaired driving but distracted driving provided an interesting perspective for students.
“At one point the instructor took off the goggles to show that when you are not under the influence or distracted you have more time to react and drive defensively. That showed them it wasn’t rigged and they responded to that,” Cagianno said.
Jackson Memorial High School senior Gracie Sauickie said she has been driving for a while without any incidents but the experience was a lot harder than she thought it would be.
“It’s definitely different actually being behind the seat of that car. It was very realistic, and it was a really good experience knowing what it could be like,” she added.
Sauickie said she felt her fellow young drivers got a lot out of the experience. “I think it will lead people to think more carefully about their decisions,” she said. “It was definitely a beneficial experience.”
“Raising awareness this time of year with prom and graduations is so important,” Caggiano said. “We need to do all we can to help keep them safe.’’
