A week-long educational effort in Seneca County schools centered around the 4 D’s of impaired driving wraps up today.
“Don’t be a D Student” is centered around the four Ds of impaired driving, drowsy, distracted, drunk, and drugged driving. The program is a partnership between the Seneca County
County Substance Abuse Coalition, a United Way program, and Students Against Destructive Decisions, or SADD. Sarah Smolinski with the Substance Abuse Coalition says the disruption of students’ lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to more substance abuse and mental health problems.
The educational effort has included visits to the schools by law enforcement and first responders and actual wrecked cars on school grounds, courtesy of C & C Automotive in Romulus.
The week wraps up Friday night with a pair of events. The coalition and RISE, Resilience & Inclusion for Students Everywhere, will host a Friday the 13th-themed Monster Bash. The free event for kids in grades six through eight includes a DJ and later tag. Students in grades nine through 12 will attend an assembly featuring an address by Marianne Angelillo of Skaneateles, whose son was killed in an impaired driving crash in 2004.
The effort comes on the heels of the state’s “Empty Chairs” campaign, based on prom season. Coming up at the end of this month is the beginning of what is known as the “hundred deadliest days,” the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when young drivers are at the greatest risk.
Listen to my full Inside the FLX podcast with Sarah Smolinski and Lauren Zimmerman-Meade from SADD below.
