Kids Say the Darndest Things About Driving, part 1

Yes, it is a lovely photo of my colleague, Cheryl (also a job seeker with me), on a frightening simulated drive with a new driver last spring.

In the past couple of years I've spent quite a few pleasant hours in Michigan high schools discussing distracted driving. What I've been trying to do is twofold. First, I want to try to convince the youngest of drivers that, while driving, things just don't happen fast in a crash, but are happening fast all the time. This means that time spent on all of their typical distractions is time lost for reacting to the physical world. Second I've been trying to learn what they think about distractions and their driving environment. I has helped me alter my messages.

So that I can evaluate my interactions with these kids I ask the instructor to wait two weeks and then ask the kids to individually write down two things that they learned from me. It's been pretty instructive. What follows here are these notes from one of the schools that I visited. Each sentence is a single student response and you're going to be reading their #1 responses. I'll post the #2 responses in a few days. I've included them just as I received them- spelling errors and all.

What was one thing that you learned from Mr. Doelker's discussion?

That the average time it takes to look down at the radio or mess with your ipod takes about three seconds, and that if your going 20mph you go 30 ft every second. That every 3 seconds you could travel a really far distance and its just 20 miles an hour. How fast a car moves in such a short time. How far your car moves when your going 30 mph in one second. I learned that in one second at 20 miles an hour a car travels around 30 feet and that means if u look down at your cell phone for one second you could get in a wreck. Driving can be very dangerous. Try reach the radio or something in the passenger seat, answer the cellphone, smoke during the ride can be one of reasons for so many car accidents. I learned that if you look down for one second while traveling 20 mph you go 30 feet and that means if you could look down for one second and before you know it you would already be in an accident. I learned that driving is not that dangerous and most of the time the person is just going too fast for their comfort or are distracted by sum sort like cell phone, reading etc. In just 3 seconds my car goes 30 feet. Stay focused on the road no matter what, no cell phones and only use the radio when you know you’re not putting yourself or others in any sort of danger. Stay focused on the road no matter what, no cells phones and only use the radio when you know your not putting yourself or others at risk. An accident can occur from looking away from the road for even a second. I learned how dangerous distracted driving is and how quickly you can get in a crash if you aren’t paying attention. I learned that 25 miles an hour is close to 40 feet per second. Driving is a serious thing not a play thing. Driving isn’t as bad as everyone makes it sound. When traveling a speed of 30 miles per hour, you will travel between 35-40 feet per three seconds. Talking on a phone and driving is as bad as drinking and driving. The use of cell phones while driving is one of the leading causes of crashes among teens. That many things can happen in 3 seconds while driving, even at comparatively “slow” speeds of 30 mph. There is no safe time to talk on the phone, or do anything else while driving. Talking on the phone and driving is as bad as drinking and driving. Most crashes happen on a straight away. Driving is a serious thing not a play thing. I learned how dangerous distracted driving is and how quickly you can get in a crash if you aren’t paying attention.