Teens Show They’ve Got Brains and Know How to Use Them, Rewarded With Driving Simulators

Think this generation of teenagers is only interested in their smart phones?  Last Friday, I met 600 teens from high schools across New Jersey who clearly have brains and know how to use them.  Yes they’re tech savvy and know (unlike this blogger) their Pinterest from their Snapchat.  But they’re also acutely aware of the fact that car crashes kill more teens in the U.S. than the next three leading causes of death for their age group combined.

Who are these safety conscious young people?  They’re the entrants in this year’s U Got Brains Champion Schools Program.  Starting last November, teen leaders at 55 high schools in 17 New Jersey counties committed to get educated about the number one cause of death for their age group and leverage what they learned, along with a $1,000 stipend, to develop and implement teen safe driving campaigns.  From social and traditional media, to morning announcements, banners, t-shirts, and thumb rings, they developed slogans, programs, contests, rap songs, and even dances to engage their peers -- more than 80,000 strong.  But the teens didn’t stop there, they expanded their efforts to include parents, business owners, government and elected officials, and residents in and outside their communities.

Developed by the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey and founding sponsor New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company, the Champion Schools Program has grown nearly 200 percent since its inception in 2011.  I had the privilege of serving as a judge for this year’s edition and was blown away by the teens’ entries.  Friday’s event gave all of them the chance to showcase their creative, cutting edge programs as well as get recognized for their efforts.

Just imagine 600 teens raising their collective voices to ensure that their peers and all of us put down our phones, buckle up, check our vehicles before taking to the road, and signal our intentions once we’re out there.  They even shouted out their support for graduated driver licensing and its passenger and nighttime  driving restrictions and decal requirement (seriously), and said no more to teens crashing and dying on New Jersey’s roadways.  The energy in the room was off the Richter scale and this leader of the New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition (and teen driving mom) was loving it.

So when the announcement was made that NJM would award every participating school, not just the two grand prize winners, a driving simulator, the room erupted! That’s 55 driving simulators, plus another $10,000 each to the top two schools -- Columbia High School in Maplewood/South Orange and Lenape Regional High School District in Medford (Burlington County) -- for pre-prom events and distracted driving presentations -- a $700,000 investment.  NJM, which celebrated its 100th birthday the very same day as the showcase, decided what better way to commemorate this milestone then to give every school a gift in honor of their insured.

NJM’s generosity sent a strong message that what these young people are doing is making a difference.  NJM’s gift won’t just benefit these students and their classmates (and the many more to come), but all roadway users in our state. Helping teens gain the skills and experience necessary to recognize a hazard and take corrective action is essential for preventing crashes.  Driving simulators give novice drivers -- our most inexperienced and at-risk motorists  -- the opportunity to develop and practice critical decision making skills before they take to the road.  While they’re no substitute for actual on the road training and lots and lots of practice, they’re a valuable supplement.  However, due to budget constraints, simulators are simply out of reach for most schools.

I encourage you to check out this year’s Champion School entries.  If your school was involved, take the time to send a note of thanks and congratulations to the teens who not only educated their peers, but brought a tremendous learning tool to your community.  If your school didn’t participate, encourage them to do so this fall.  While I can’t guarantee every school will receive a simulator in 2014, the opportunity to participate in this peer-to-peer program, said one teen, changes and saves lives.