Brandon Radhay with Mother’s Against Drunk Driving spoke to middle school students Thursday about making safe choices while driving and as a passenger.
Radhay was invited to Ecole Mother Teresa School to explain to the students the dangers of impaired driving, and its cost.
He told the students, who ranged from Grade 7-9, that making smart decisions is important for both the driver and the passengers.
“Many of you are still a couple years away from getting behind the wheel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be smart about your choices,” Radhay told the students.
He said each student should know what it means to be impaired, so they can watch for situations where their choices could mean a lot more than just how they are getting home.
“Every time you are a passenger in someone’s vehicle you are putting your life in their hands,” Radhay said.
According to Radhay, there are four categories of being impaired. These four categories are based on what is being used to impair a person.
Alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs and prescription drugs are contributors to impaired driving.
“When you think of impaired driving you think of alcohol… Taking prescription drugs is completely legal, but driving while taking them can be considered impaired driving by a police officer,” he said.
Radhay continued his presentation to the students by explaining a vehicle is more than just a car or truck as well.
A vehicle is any motorized means of transportation and can include a tractor, motorcycle, boat and ski-doo.
“Be smart about your choices, they affect more than just you,” Radhay said, adding the death or injury of a person affects their families and friends as well.
The MADD presentation also included videos, with some graphic images, of impaired driving and its consequences.
The videos also had testimony from victims of impaired driving as well as family members who had lost someone to impaired driving.
A handful of students at Mother Teresa have begun driving, and have obtained their learner’s license.
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