Every day roughly 38 people are killed by distracted and drunk driving in the United States. The Saucon Valley HS S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club held a Teen Driving Seminar to raise awareness of the dangers of both impaired and distracted driving. This event hosted roughly 200 underclassmen, who were introduced to the concept of distracted driving and good precedents to later apply to their lives as drivers.

The goal of this event was to “...educate students about the dangers of impaired driving, to help spread positivity about driving, and to keep everyone safe,” according to Saucon Valley S.A.D.D. President Jenna Skillenge.

The students who were involved made their way around the Saucon Valley L.G.I. and participated in each of the stations. The first was directed by Kate Smith, a deputy public defender from Lehigh County. She spread the message to always drive with a license and shared some statistics and consequences of not doing so.

The second station was the Crime Victims Council which shared resources for people who have been victims of DUIs and other driving related incidents.

Another station was formatted around the dangers of drinking and driving. Students spoke with a local police officer who conducted a sobriety test in which the students wore drunk goggles donated by the Saucon Valley Foundation for Educational Innovation.

At the final station, the students were given the opportunity to experience a distracted driving situation while operating driving simulators contributed by the Lehigh Valley Health Network.

When asked about the impact of this event on the students, Saucon Valley S.A.D.D. Club vice president and senior, Zoe Zaharakis said, “I think that everybody is more aware of the effects that some of these things can have on them. And talking to professionals who give advice about it opens up their minds to the reality of what they are doing.”

It is evident that this event did have an impact on the students present, as a “101 Ways to be a Safe Driver” poster was covered with encouraging remarks on what it means to be a safe driver and how each and every student can become one and the “Pledge to not Text and Drive” poster was covered with over 152 signatures and thumbprints.

This event marked the second annual Driving Seminar hosted by the Saucon Valley S.A.D.D. club. Club adviser and Saucon Valley Health and Fitness teacher Donna Ellis said she is confident that the event will continue next year as well. In addition, Ellis says the club plans on conducting other events that help to promote safe habits in different formats, such as public servie announcements, social media and field trips, to different locations that have to deal with the content area.

Skillenge adds that all the activities help to spread the message of “no drunk driving or any kind of impaired driving.”

The Saucon Valley S.A.D.D. Club is open to donations in order to help make these events possible. If interested in donating, one could contact Donna Ellis at domenica.ellis@svpanthers.org.