'Save a Life' tour promotes safe driving habits at Holland Christian

HOLLAND — In an effort to promote safe driving among its students, Holland Christian High School hosted the International "Save a Life" Tour this week.

A student at Holland Christian High School uses a driving simulator while texting to see firsthand the dangers of distracted driving.
A student at Holland Christian High School uses a driving simulator while texting to see firsthand the dangers of distracted driving.

The tour is “a comprehensive, high-impact" driving awareness program, designed to demonstrate the “potentially deadly consequences resulting from poor choices" made by the operator of a motor vehicle.

The tour visited HCHS on Friday, Jan. 27. Two driving simulators, one utilizing virtual reality, were made available for students to use.

There are 330 students at Holland Christian High School who regularly drive to campus, based on parking permits issued by the school. Many of those students also bring siblings to school at other HC buildings.

“One of our deep hopes for our students is for all of them to flourish as image-bearers of God and step into the calling that God has for them in their lives,” wrote Principal Miles Colago in a statement. “This program is one small, but important, way to bring attention to a preventable mistake that could stop them in their tracks.”

A student at Holland Christian High School uses a driving simulator with a VR headset on Friday, Jan. 27.
A student at Holland Christian High School uses a driving simulator with a VR headset on Friday, Jan. 27.

Friday’s event began with all students in the school gathering for an assembly to hear about the risks of distracted driving. For the rest of the day, simulators were set up in the gym for classes to rotate through.

The virtual reality simulator illustrated the danger of impaired driving by showing the effects alcohol and drugs can have on a driver’s reaction time, motor skills and judgment. On a second simulator, students were provided a smartphone to send and receive texts while driving and attempting to not crash.

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Monitors were set up so students could watch their classmates attempt to navigate the roads. Separate monitors showed videos related to impaired and distracted driving and the consequences of those actions.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: 'Save a Life' tour promotes safe driving habits at Holland Christian