Learning to stay safe: Jefferson students experience dangers of unsafe driving

The Arrive Alive Tour stopped at Jefferson High School this week.

Through virtual reality, participants experienced first-hand how being drunk, distracted or high affects their driving. Arrive Alive has visited other area high schools in the past.

About 200 JHS students participated.

"Arrive Alive is the only marijuana driving simulator in the country," Arrive Alive said. "The goal is educating young drivers on the dangers of impaired and distracted driving."

James Abrams, JHS dean of students, and Austin Harvey, liaison officer, brought the program to JHS.

"We were very excited that Jim and Austin were able to secure this event for our school," Jennifer Crosley, interim principal at JHS, said.

"It went very well this go around, and the inside set-up was perfect for the vehicle," Abrams said. "The staff were very informative and welcoming while still allowing the students to have fun with it and retain the dangers of driving while intoxicated. We would definitely do it again."

Sheriff Troy Goodnough first brought the Arrive Alive simulator to this area in 2021. That year, it was at the Monroe County Fair. Goodnough then initiated efforts to bring the simulator to area schools.

The JHS stop was sponsored by local Farm Bureau Insurance agent Mark Jarrait, the Transportation Improvement Association and the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

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Arrive Alive said the fatal crash rate for teens is three times greater than for drivers age 20 and older.

"Driver distraction is responsible for more than 58 percent of teen crashes," Arrive Alive said.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Jefferson High School students experience dangers of unsafe driving