GLEN ALLEN, Va. — A Virginia nonprofit showed future drivers the dangerous consequences of using cellphones while driving through an interactive program.
DRIVE SMART Virginia brought their distracted driving program to Glen Allen High School after a student advocated for it, filling class periods with both information and hands-on learning experiences.
Law enforcement shared crash statistics and described the traumatic scenes they witness, including the difficult moments when they must notify families of tragedies.
Brad Hughes,a survivor of a distracted driving crash, also shared his personal story with the students.
Watch: How three seconds changed Brad Hughes' life forever
"[He] really put it in perspective," Glen Allen High School Sophomore Jabari Harris said. "It puts your life in danger and other people's life in danger."
Students then experienced firsthand the difficulties of driving while impaired or texting through simulations provided by DRIVE SMART's technology and activities.
"Driving is already hard enough as it is with all the conditions on the road.. so just adding those extra elements like texting and adding those other things that can complicate driving," Glen Allen High School Sophomore Jack Bateman said.
With many of these teens just weeks away from getting their driver's licenses, the program helped them understand that this new freedom comes with serious responsibilities.
"It's sad how easy a life can be taken in just one simple moment," Bateman said.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky| Facebook| Instagram| X| Threads| TikTok| YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
