Teen driver safety lab targets reservation youth drivers on Sept. 18

The National Transportation Safety Board, Wyoming Department of Transportation and In One Instant Teen Safe Driving Program will welcome more than 400 high school and middle school students to the first Wyoming Youth Interactive Traffic Safety Lab on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Notable sponsors include the Eastern Shoshone Business Council, Northern Arapaho Business Council, Wind River Intertribal Council-DOT and Injury Prevention Resources.

Students from Wyoming Indian High School, Fort Washakie High School and Arapaho Charter High School will participate in the unique 9:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. event next week at Wyoming Indian High School in Ethete.

The event will feature 10 interactive, hands-on traffic safety stations and presentations from national traffic safety leaders highlighting the risks associated with drug-impaired driving, drunk driving, distracted driving, speeding and lack of seat belt use.

Key event highlights include:

-- The Simulated Impaired Driving Experience® (SIDNE®) presented by Innocorp is a custom-built electric kart allowing teen drivers and passengers to experience what can happen when they operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or marijuana, as well as the ramifications of driving while drowsy or distracted;

-- In One Instant (IOI) is an award-winning, peer-driven teen safe driving program that educates teens on how to stay safe as drivers and passengers. IOI's evidence-based program makes distracted, reckless, and impaired driving personal and relevant through dynamic film and video and interactive follow-up activities;

-- Injury Prevention Resources (IPR) of Wyoming will educate youth on the importance of seat belt use through a rollover demonstration, seat belt convincer (an interactive ride that enables a student to experience the force generated during a 5-10 mph collision), and crash car display.