By Nicole S.

As a recent high school graduate I vividly remember the various presentations that we had. They all focused on similar themes and were quite repetitive throughout my four years. In terms of presentations regarding safe driving the only exposure I received was presentations that focused solely on drinking and driving. Drinking and driving are major concerns for teenagers but they are not the only concern. There are a variety of things that teenagers need to be aware of when on the road.

The Sweet Life Road Show is an interactive experience unlike any other that takes a serious topic like safe driving and makes it enjoyable for the students. When I was in my senior year, the Sweet Life Road Show came to my high school but was only offered to junior students. I remember walking by the stations and seeing everyone having a great time and wishing that I had the opportunity to participate.

Now as a facilitator for one of the stations in the Sweet Life Road Show my focus was on educating youth about the dangers of drowsy driving. Drowsy driving is rarely discussed and it was enjoyable for me to see everyone’s face when they found out that if they are awake for more than 18 hours that they are more dangerous than a drunk driver on the road. Instead of taking a typical school assembly approach and solely lecturing I delivered the information through the use of a skit. This made the experience much more enjoyable for the students and all of them were very eager to participate.

The Sweet Life Road Show does not come to a school to lecture and point fingers. It truly is an interactive experience that all students would benefit from. Car crashes are the number one killer of teenagers. Helping them be aware of their actions can and will make a difference.