Programs for Schools

Matrix Entertainment

Did you Know?

Driving simulator education has been a part of the New Hampshire Teen Drivers programming for over the last ten years. The Youth Operator Program Coordinator collaborates with Matrix Entertainment from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to bring the “Save a Life” tour to New Hampshire high schools. Each year 10 New Hampshire high schools receive the chance to host the simulator style education that provides a distracted driving and impaired driving simulator. To learn more about the Matrix “Save a Life” tour please visit their website Matrix Entertainment.

Take the Pledge

Each school receives a Pledge Banner that they can keep and hang in a space where all the students can see in order to remember the importance of the event. The banner represents that each signature means they took the pledge to save lives and be safe while on the road.

Pre/Post Survey

Each school participates in a Pre/Post survey. The questions target and provide current knowledge or attitude about the laws, defining distracted driving and impaired driving, and the perceptions and norms around distracted driving and impaired driving.

Save A Life Tour - PRE Survey Injury Prevention Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock; Teen Driver Program
Pre-Survey This survey should be taken prior to participation in the Save A Life Tour. Download Survey

Save A Life Tour - POST Survey Injury Prevention Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock; Teen Driver Program
Post-Survey This survey should be taken after participation in the Save A Life Tour program. Download Survey

Why do we do this program?

• Motor vehicle crashes are the number one leading cause of death for U.S. teens.⁵
• About seven teens aged 13-19 die every day from motor vehicle crash injuries⁶
• 1 in 10 teens in high school drink and drive.⁶
• Young drivers, ages 16-20, are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration of .08% than when they have not been drinking.⁶
• In 2019, in the United States, a higher percentage of youth drivers were distracted then drivers age 21 and older.⁷ Among these young drivers, 9% of them were distracted at the time of the crash.⁷
• Teens who text while driving spend 10% of their driving time outside their lane.⁷
• At 55 miles per house, sending or reading a text is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.⁷
• According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey 39% of high schools students who drive in the past 30 days texted or emailed while driving on at least one of those days.⁸
• Students who texted or emailed while driving were also more likely to report other transportation risk behaviors.⁷
  These include:
  o More likely to not always wear a seat belt
  o More likely to ride with a driver who had been drinking alcohol
  o More likely to drive after drinking alcohol
  
  Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data, 2019, New Hampshire Compared to the United States⁸
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results

  
  o In NH 44% text or e-mailed while driving a car or other vehicles, compared to the US of 39%. Which means NH teens are 5% higher.
  o In NH 5% drove a car or other vehicle when they have been drinking alcohol, this is the same percentage to the US.
  o In NH 15% drove in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol, cared to the US of 17%. Although NH is below the US, this is still very concerning.
  
  In addition in the past 30 days NH youth have reported that 5% have rarely or never wore a seat belt, compared to 6% in the US.
  

Tragically, seat belt use is lowest among teen drivers. In fact, the majority of teenagers involved in fatal crashes are unbuckled.9 In 2020, 52% of teen drivers who died were unbuckled.⁹ Even more troubling, when the teen driver involved in the fatal crash was unbuckled, nine out of 10 of the passengers who died were also unbuckled.⁹ As teens start driving and gradually gain independence, they don't always make the smartest decisions regarding their safety.⁹ They may think they are invincible, that they don't need seat belts.9 They may have a false notion that they have the right to choose whether or not to buckle up.⁹

Bottom line we need to continue to educate the youth that it only takes a few seconds to buckle up, but it could make the difference of a lifetime.

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Photo Credit: Salem School District Media Department

All Resources are Welcome!

We encourage high schools to allow us to invite local law enforcement, regional substance misuse and prevention members, and other community resources. This partnership allows the youth to interact with the resources they have in their community, ask questions, and receive information to take home to continue to learn about safety.

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Photo Credit: Seacoast Public Health Network & Salem School District Media Department

If you know a New Hampshire High School that would like to host please contact the following: