WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Police Department, Wilmington High School and the HFC (Highland, Fayette and Clinton counties) Safety Council will hold a “Drive to Survive Campaign” at the school, beginning this week, according to Wilmington Police Chief Duane Weyand.
In a press release, Weyand said the program, which is funded by the Highland, Fayette and Clinton Safety Council, will “educate our newest drivers on the pitfalls of distracted driving.”
Weyand told the News Journal that the program will be an informal in-service event and will include taking pledges from students to not drive distracted.
Distracted driving reportedly kills nine people and injures 1,153 each day in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC defines distracted driving is doing a task that takes a person’s attention away from driving. Commonly, the includes texting or talking on a cellphone.
Younger drivers under 20 are most likely to be involved in a traffic accident involving a distracted driver, according to the CDC. Other statistics by the CDC show that half of high school students 16 and older text and drive and those that do are more likely to engage in other risky behavior, such as getting in a car with a driver who has been drinking.
Reach Nathan Kraatz at 937-382-2574, ext. 2510 or on Twitter @NathanKraatz.
