(Video) Harold Zeigler brings distracted driving simulator to BCHS

UPDATE: You can check out the article here, and watch the video below.

I just got back from the show at Byron Center High School here in Michigan. Thanks to Harold Zeigler, hundreds of students have been able to try the texting while driving simulator, and the reception could not have been better.

It was truly a treat to overhear students chatting with one another. One particular conversation caught my attention, when one girl said “Yeah, it’s dangerous [to text and drive], but in all honesty I probably won’t stop.” A male friend of hers became visibly upset, and fired back at her, “Are you serious? I mean, I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t really care before, but after watching [the texting while driving video provided by the PEERS Foundation], and trying the simulator… I mean, is a text ever really THAT important?” The tension between them was quite obvious, and you could see the female friend rethinking her decision in the light of her friend’s input.

That’s the kind of widespread affect we at the PEERS Foundation try to foster. If we can create an atmosphere of peer interaction, then a lot of learning and positive behavioral reinforcement takes place which is nearly impossible to recreate with traditional lecturing. By putting students into the experience and giving them a space to talk about it, our programs impact students in a very significant way.

The technicians are of course always a tremendous help. They never simply operate the equipment–they also interact with the students, chatting with them about texting while driving, and just generally engaging students and bringing them into the experience.

Overall, we’re very happy with our program today. You’ll be able to check out the full story tonight on WZZM local channel 13 in West Michigan.