“Otto the Auto” Drives Home Auto Safety to Kids at Point Road School

On Wednesday morning, a three-foot tall, remote-controlled talking car named "Otto the Auto" pulled in to Little Silver to deliver a message on auto safety to the Pre-K and Kindergarten students of Point Road School.

”Otto the Auto” is the Mid-Atlantic AAA Safety and Education’s popular program for younger children. Ms. Susan Witman, a Kindergarten teacher, acted as the “MC” for the half hour program.

Otto and Ms. Witman interacted with the students about the importance of wearing a helmet when riding anything with wheels, looking all ways before you cross the street, not playing on or near railroad tracks and the right way to ride the bus to or from school.

Because Point Road has a Safety Patrol Program, there was no charge to bring the program to the school, it was just a matter of scheduling it. Safety Services Managers like Ken Chursz travel around the Mid-Atlantic territory with Otto and deliver a message of safety to schools and community events.

The Traffic and Safety Committee, made up of Eileen Devlin Schmitt, Eileen Mahoney and Janice Swaggerty, helped coordinate the event.  The PTO provides this group of parents as a liaison committee between the Traffic and Safety Commission at Borough Hall and the parents of the Little Silver school system.  Throughout the year they coordinate various events, including Bike to School Day, Railroad Safety, the Smokehouse, and coming in May right before Memorial Day, Water Safety.

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