According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention each day in the United States, more than nine million people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.
Our Injury Prevention Coordinator, Sheila Antwi, attended Richmond Hill High School to speak to 9th, 11th and 12th graders on distracted and drowsy driving. The purpose of this program was to educate these students, who are soon to be drivers, as well as provide them with the proper education on distracted and driving so they can go out and share this education with their friends, parents and relatives who may be driving while distracted or drowsy. Each presentation included a question and answer session and a group discussion on how students can prevent distracted and drowsy driving. Students were also given a pre and post-event tests to gauge their awareness.
The purpose of this event was to educate and promote healthy lifestyles and injury prevention within the community including how to avoid the dangers of distracted and drowsy driving. The goal of this event was to help decrease the number of preventable trauma related injuries which has been affecting our surrounding communities.
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is working towards educating our community on safer driving not only for drivers and passengers, but also pedestrians.