HEALTHCARE 350 N. Wall St. Kankakee, IL 60901 Standard U.S. Postage PAID Walla Walla, WA Permit No. 44 Driving tips for teens Help them stay safe on the roads! There’s been a big push to discourage phone use while driving. But did you know that distracted driving involves more than talking or texting on one’s phone? “There are also other physical distractions, like eating while you’re in the car or driving with your dog on your lap,” says Dana Arseneau, Trauma Program Coordinator at Riverside Healthcare. “And then there’s mental and emotional distractions as well, something we don’t always think about.” What you should know Distracted driving contributes to 80% of car accidents. “Just to read a text, it takes your eyes off the road for five to six seconds,” says Arseneau. “If you’re going 55 miles per hour, that covers the entire length of a football field. So, you can see how accidents happen.” Parents play an integral role in helping their teens stay safe when driving. One way is to model good driving behavior. How we can help Riverside offers programs to educate teens about distracted driving and other driving-related issues. The Pre-Prom/Road to Reality program includes mock situations in which teens go through scenarios like having to do a field sobriety test, getting arrested or even being fatally injured in an accident. “It’s so helpful for them to be able to hear everything connected together, to give them a wellrounded idea of what can happen from these small decisions and choices they make,” shares Arseneau. Volunteers from the emergency department also go to local driver’s education classes to teach students about the different types of distractions. These Hear for your health Listen to our podcast series, “Well Within Reach,” to get the latest health and wellness information from our team of experts. Visit: healthcurrents.com/podcasts. volunteers also share what happens on the ER side if they’re injured. “We want to give them a robust idea of what these distractions are—what can come from them down the line,” says Arseneau. “So, not only the injuries that come with them, but what happens if they have to get transferred and what the monetary value could be. Everything that adds up with a distracted driving incident.” Not just for students Riverside offers free distracteddriving classes to church groups and worksites. To learn more about any of the programs available, reach out to Arseneau at darseneau@rhc.net. Dana Arseneau, Trauma Program Coordinator
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