The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is sponsoring a one-day safety initiative - -RI:DRIVE (Rhode Island: Developing Responsible and Indelible Vehicle Education) - - aimed at teaching youth how to become responsible drivers.
Approximately 40 students from Bain Middle School in Cranston and Gaudet Middle School in Middletown will be at the Newport Marriott on Monday, September 20, 2010 to participate in classroom discussions and team building exercises focused on engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency medical services. The event, set to kick off at 9:00 a.m., will also feature a rollover simulator demonstration by the Rhode Island State Police and a mock crash presented by the Newport Police and Fire Departments.
“We want to teach today’s youth about passenger and driver responsibilities before they learn how to drive,” said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis. “If we can start them young, the good habits they learn today will help them grow into tomorrow’s safe and mature drivers.”
Topics to be discussed at the one-day event include occupant protection, texting, speeding, pedestrian/bicycle safety, and alcohol and drugs. Staff from the Newport and Cranston Police Departments, the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy and RIDOT’s Office on Highway Safety will be on hand to teach the classes, share their knowledge and offer support.
Contact: Heidi Gudmundson at (401) 222-1362 x. 4009