PAKENHAM students had a taste of the dangers of the road while behind the wheel of a car simulator recently.
The car simulator was Beaconhills College as part of the positive choices road safety program.
Aimed at Year 10 students, the program shows the ramifications of irresponsible driving.
In the simulator, students experienced a number of driving scenarios, including driving while using a mobile phone, speeding, wet weather driving and driving with alcohol or drug impairment – each showing the danger of making poor decisions.
The program formed part of students’ learning in their subject ‘personal skills for life’, which has covered road safety issues, personal safety and responsibility and strategies to create safer drivers and passengers.
Teacher Kerry Burns said the aim of the car simulator was to leave students with the proper mindset to be safe on the road.
“I cannot stress the importance of a program such as this one, where students were able to experience practical situations of poor decision-making, without the serious consequences if they had made the same decision in a real car,” Mrs Burns said.
After driving the simulator, many students said they learned how distractions could have such a big influence on driving ability.
“The car simulator showed me the importance of not using the phone while driving,” said one student, while another said that it taught her “how hard it was to multi-task while driving”.
Mrs Burns said the personal skills for life subject had also involved a day at Bayswater North’s Metec Driver Training Centre and visits by guest speakers.
She said the positive choices road safety program was very beneficial.
“I can only hope as many students as possible have the opportunity to experience such an extremely invaluable program.”
