Seymour High students take part in virtual simulated driving program

Students James Harnish, left, and Joe Pasterella participate in a safe driving initiative this week at Seymour High School./Contributed photo 

SEYMOUR - Teen drivers at Seymour High School had a special opportunity this week to utilize the school's virtual interactive full-cab driving simulators which are part of the "Wildcat Teen Driving Center" at the school.  

Seymour is the only school in Connecticut with Virtual Interactive Full-Cab Driving Simulators available to its students. 
This was all part of a teen safe driving initiative held at the school. 
It was coordinated by Rich Kearns, Seymour Public Schools Director of Security.  

From left: Lucas Brown, Jaylin Kelly, Tamar Coverson-Epps.

Teens who signed-up for a special event appointment to use the Center were put through hands-on driving experiences showing the dangers of texting while driving. 

Students who participated were given certificates of safe driving to present to their insurance companies for potential safe driving discounts as well as gift cards for participating.   

To cap off the week the nationally-known teen safe driving program "Save a Life Tour Distracted/Texting Awareness  Program" from Grand Rapids, Mich. was invited back to make a stop at Seymour High School.  

Ashley Bercier, left, and Kayla Christansen

The program travels across the country educating teens in the responsibilities of safe driving focusing on the dangers of distracted/texting while driving. 

The Connecticut Department of Transportation provided the funding for the "Save A Life Tour Distracted/Texting Awareness Program" at 60 more high schools in Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2015 at no cost to the hosting schools. 
Seymour was one of the lucky schools to be able to capture the experience for its students. 

The "Save A Life Tour" is a high impact distracted driving program that demonstrates to students the potential deadly consequences of this dangerous behavior. Utilizing distracted driving simulators, videos, speakers, and surveys; students experience first-hand the impacts of distracted driving.

More than 200 students from Seymour High School participated in this life changing experience. 

Kearns was joined by School Resource Officer Corey Tomasella, and Physical Education/Health Teachers Nick Aprea and Paul O'Connor who teamed up to help run the program.


This is a press release from Richard Kearns, Director of Security, Seymour Public Schools.