Save A Life Tour Returns To Granby

GRANBY, CT — Students entering ninth through 12th grade can test a virtual driving simulator and learn about the risks of distracted driving when the Save A Life Tour returns to Granby for its fourth year Aug. 10-12.

Granby Police said the program will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at Lost Acres Fire Department, 206 Salmon Brook St. It will operate during the department's First Responder Camp, but is open to all incoming high school students.

Each session lasts about 40 minutes. Students who arrive should find an on-site police officer, who will direct them to the Save A Life Tour experience.

The program uses virtual reality and driving-simulation technology to let participants experience distracted-driving scenarios in a controlled setting. The Save A Life Tour says its programming combines presentations, visual material and interactive simulations focused on impaired and distracted driving.

The event comes as Connecticut continues to stress the consequences of looking away from the road. The state recorded 5,318 crashes attributed to distracted driving in 2022 — the latest verifiable year cited by the Connecticut Department of Transportation — resulting in eight deaths and more than 787 injuries, according to CTDOT.

Under Connecticut law, drivers younger than 18 cannot use a cellphone or other mobile electronic device while driving, even hands-free, except in limited circumstances, according to the state's Highway Safety Office.

For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.