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The Rotary Club of Hazleton will be providing the Safety SIMulator experience for seniors at Hazleton Area High School and the Hazleton Area Career Center on Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8.  This annual Rotary service project was started in 2007 as a pre-Prom event to discourage students from drinking and driving which so often leads to tragedy. In preparation for the SUI Simulator experience, a Senior Assembly was held at Hazleton Area High School.  Speakers were Dr. Mary Pascucci, Hazleton Pathology and Megan Kennedy Hazleton Rotary Foundation Board and former Asst. DA., Paul Brenner, President-Pathway to Recovery Board Chair was Assembly moderator.

 

The Safety SIMulator is an educational tool that can help shape a safe future for teenagers. Traditionally the only way for new drivers to gain experience was to practice in the family car with a parent, or to incur the cost of a driver’s education instructor.  This often leaves new drivers with limited time behind the wheel and feeling uncertain about their driving skills. The SIMulator which has a real dashboard, steering wheel and driver’s seat provides realistic, hands-on experience in a safe environment.  Training also helps individuals gain confidence in their ability as a driver and helps them develop an appreciation for safety.
The SIMulator also lets you drive safely under many diverse and adverse conditions including snow, fog and heavy traffic.  The focus of the Rotary Club of Hazleton is to let students feel first-hand how alcohol impairs their ability to steer and brake and also shows the danger to the student when other drivers in other cars are impaired.
The lessons in safe driving and the effects of impairment learned by a teen’s experience with the Safety SIMulator should have a positive impact upon the student’s future decisions and help prevent risky behaviors and hopefully save lives.
Rotary Project Chairman Tim Genetti explains, “The SIMulator not only has the ability to   induce intoxication effects into the user’s driving but also in the cars that are driving around that driver.  It forces the student driver to not only worry about how they are driving on the road, but also to be careful and aware  of  how other motorists are driving.”
A driver’s license is not required to be able to participate and adult supervision is to be present at all times.

 “We sincerely appreciate the Rotary Club of Hazleton’s efforts in bringing the DUI SIMulator experience to the High School. The opportunity is such a rewarding experience for those who participate.  Since I have become Principal of the Hazleton Area High School, it has been a passion of mine to educate students on the serious nature of distracted and impaired driving” explains Rocco Petrone, Principal, Hazleton Area High School.  “The DUI SIMulator gives them first- hand experience of what it is like to function while having impaired vision.  Each year we have approximately 800 seniors go through the simulator.  They consistently give us positive feedback about this hands-on experience.  They discuss it in their classrooms with their teachers and talk about if for many weeks to follow because of the eye-opening experience this SIMulator provides.
This year we have had many seniors asking if we are providing the same opportunity for them like we have in the past.  When I told them that this will take place again in May, they got excited and are looking forward to the experience. “
The SIMulator is available through the Pennsylvania DUI Association, established in 1979 to take action in the support of initiatives being undertaken to encourage and facility the growth of safe programs in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Driving under the Influence Association is a professional organization which is working to address the DUI problem in all of its many stages, from prevention to enforcement up to adjudication and rehabilitation.
Funds for this project are created by various Rotary Club of Hazleton Fundraisers held throughout the course of the year.  For updated information on the Rotary Club of Hazleton visit the Rotary Club of Hazleton Facebook page or www.hazletonrotary.org.