Students at Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School, part of the Copiague Union Free School District, learned an important lesson about drinking and driving during the Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated (STOP-DWI). Deputy Sheriff Rich Baker and Deputy Sheriff Thomas P. Indence of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office informed the students about the dangers of drinking and driving and explained how dangerous it is to get behind the wheel after having a few drinks, as well as getting in the car with someone who has been drinking. The sheriffs discussed Leandra’s Law, which protects children under the age of 16 from adults who choose to make poor decisions. This is the second year that the STOP-DWI program, which is funded by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, has come to the high school.
As a hands-on learning experience, students drove pedal carts through an assimilated drinking and driving course. The course was completed first with their regular vision and then with goggles that simulated the vision of a drunk driver. Students were surprised to see what a difference the goggles made as they tried to avoid the cones that represented pedestrians. When the students hit the cones, they were reminded of how easily the poor decision to drink and drive can kill innocent people.
Students also had the opportunity to “walk the line,” as they tried to pass the sobriety test given to motorists when they are pulled over for drinking while intoxicated. Deputy Sheriff Indence left an impact on the students when he said, “You’re at an age where you believe you’re invincible. I don’t want it to be too late when you realize you’re not. Please, make smart decisions.”
Carole Olsen, the health teacher at Walter G. O’Connell High School, said the STOP-DWI program is a good experience for the students because it is a memorable way of helping the students to understand that the smallest mistake can ruin the rest of their lives. This program concludes the drug-related curriculum in class, in which the students have been learning about the dangers of alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs.
↧