Survival 101: A Students' Guide to Staying Alive

Year after year, our young people continue to needlessly die and suffer catastrophic injuries as a result of traffic crashes. The combination of alcohol use and lack of driving experience have accelerated this epidemic. Despite decades of interventions, stricter laws, increased enforcement and awareness, support groups, public policy changes and national media campaigns we are still losing our children.

Pennsylvania´s graduated license has already yielded life saving benefits by mandating increased on-the road experience. Zero tolerance laws for persons under the age of 21 have reduced the access to and consumption of alcohol. In addition, we must continue to move forward on several fronts to address youth injuries and death.

Any effective educational intervention must address both youth alcohol prevention and highway safety. Reducing youth alcohol consumption is only part of the equation. We must also encourage safety belt use, increased on-the -road experience and the reduction of aggressive and fatigued driving. Most importantly, we must make youth aware of their responsibilities.

"Survival 101: A Student´s Guide to Staying Alive" is a police-driven curriculum designed to encourage appropriate decision making among middle and high school students. Developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation´s Buckle Up PA Project, "Survival 101" provides police officers with the multi media tools necessary to successfully lead a dynamic, hard-hitting presentation.

Middle and high school students - ages 12-18 - traditionally have been a difficult audience to reach. Attempts to change attitudes and behaviors in this age group have always been a difficult task.

This curriculum provides a step-by-step program guide that allows officers to draw from his or her own personal experiences when relating to teenage crashes and fatalities. Program leaders who have "been there" can explain to students what it´s like to respond to a serious crash and to inform loved ones of tragedy. At Buckle Up PA, we feel that this personal approach - when paired with a high-energy multi-media presentation - is the best way to reach this target age group.

More than 300 Municipal and State Police are trained to present the "Survival 101" program. Each department now has a "Survival 101" Curriculum and the materials to complete a program within their jurisdiction.

Please contact Carol Alonge at 570-628-2414 or calonge@nchsn.org for more information about educational programs.