Norwood High School students took part in a crash prevention demonstration offered by the In Control Family Foundation, a Massachusetts nonprofit organization, on Feb. 28. The experience was passenger-only. The demonstration’s goal was to spread awareness about the importance of wearing a seatbelt, how slow speeds can affect the control of the vehicle, and staying focused in a vehicle.
NHS seniors and freshmen had the opportunity to participate. The In Control Family Foundation is on a mission to improve safety and build awareness of the dangers that come from young, distracted drivers. The team travels to many schools, sharing the crash prevention training. Throughout the day, many students took part as passengers with professional drivers to learn safety and ride in the cars as they went through a series of brake tests.
“What kids are doing today is they are going to get into a car with a professional driver and demonstrate the impact of speed on the ability to control the vehicle,” Principal Cindy Derrane said.
Before senior Reece Killion headed into her car, she shared, “I have been in a car that braked unexpectedly…I am really excited, I think it seems fun.”
Experiencing a series of braking, the instructor provided numerous facts involving the background of the braking system and behind-the-scenes of “ABS, Anti Lock Braking System, ” which stops the vehicle from locking up in a braking situation.
The Crash Prevention offers classes lasting around 4.5 hours, spaning to a full day, extending depending on the needs of that client. The client gets to choose if they want to drive their own car or a car provided by the program. The cost of the training is $350 for the first family member and $275 for each additional family member. Anyone can take these classes as long as they have a learner’s permit or a license.
Principal Derrane shared insight from In Control Family Foundation on this new experience brought to Norwood High School students: “The mission statement is to reduce the amount of automobile crashes, fatalities, and injuries.”
Dan Strollo, from the Board of Directors, gave a detailed explanation of the series of events students would be getting to try.
“We are going to show what it is like to be in a panic stop at like 25 miles an hour,” he said.
After students went through the three different steps in the series of crash course prevention around Norwood High School.
“It was pretty thrilling, at first it was scary, but it was fun and was really helpful as well as informational,” senior Sylvia Capparotta said.
This experience was something new that Norwood took on to recognize the danger young drivers face.
“Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death among young drivers and their passengers. More and more teens and young adults die in violent auto collisions each year in the United States,” said Principal Cynthia Derrane.
The brake testing has created such a large improvement from this organization, including “76% improvement in attitude towards speeding, 68% improvement in attitude towards distracted driving, 63% improvement in attitude towards Seat Belt Use” from the In Control Family source.
