St. James Trauma Team Conducts Distracted Driver Education
St. James Healthcare’s Trauma team conducted a “Distracted Driver” training session on June 30, 2022, for approximately 160 area students who are currently enrolled in Driver’s Education.
As part of the distracted driving training, teens operated golf carts through an obstacle course. The students were timed driving the course with no distractions, then handed a smartphone and asked to reply to a friend while navigating through the cones. Lastly, the students were asked to repeat the course while wearing a pair of goggles that are designed to show the effects of alcohol, known as Fatal Vision Goggles.
“This course is a great way to not only talk about the dangers of distracted driving but to demonstrate firsthand on a controlled course,” says Amber Henson St. James Trauma and Disaster Planning Assistant. “This is a topic very close to us at St. James Healthcare, as motor vehicle accidents are one of our leading causes of trauma and death in Montana. We feel educating our new drivers is the best way to prevent them from injury.”
Along with the distracted driving course, students interacted with the Montana Highway Patrol, Butte Police Department, Butte Fire Department, Montana “Share the Road Program”, and A1 Ambulance.
The distracted driving course was made possible by a grant from the Butte-Silver Bow DUI Task Force and golf cart donations from the Butte Country Club.