Thomas Jefferson

High School | Home of the Spartans

"The Road is Hectic, So Wear Your Seat Belts or Be Ejected!"

Posted 04/15/2009 by Rhea Boyd

Mile High Seat Belt Challenge dares TJ to buckle up.
belt_small

The Junior AVID class is representing Thomas Jefferson in a friendly challenge between area high schools to encourage safe driving practices among students.

The challenge began this month and will continue through the 1st of May, and will consist of peer-to-peer campaigning including unannounced seatbelt use observations, seat belt pledges, and other tools to create an eye-opening image of motor vehicle dangers to students.

The AVID class received a Tool Kit from the Mile High Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council (RETAC) that contains planning ideas, educational materials and activities on teen car crashes and the reasons they are the leading cause of death among teenagers. With the help of the kit, they hung informational posters in the halls of TJ to enlighten students on the highly risky habit of not wearing seatbelts, as well as impaired driving, dealing with passenger distractions, and understanding Colorado laws. It is AVID’s hope that students may realize the substantial damage that can be done in a motor vehicle accident when they bring a crumpled car to the front yard of TJ on April 16th.

On April 13, AVID traced the outline of 43 bodies with chalk on the front porch to represent the 43 teenagers that died in car crashes. “We want TJ to grasp the reality of car dangers and understand the message we are trying to send them,” said AVID student, Junior Shane Oliver.

Within the schools competing, the one that completes the required activities and increases its student seat belt use will win an after school party for the entire student body to celebrate its success in safety.

An alarming number of traffic fatalities involving teen drivers in Colorado prompted the Mile High RETAC injury prevention advocates to create the Mile High Teen Seat Belt Challenge. Since 2006, the Mile High RETAC successfully completed the Challenge in 16 Denver Metro high schools, increasing student seatbelt use by 25% to achieve an overall seat belt usage in the selected schools to 77% (72.9% is the state average).

“I received an email from the Mile High Teen Seat Belt Challenge and decided it was a good opportunity for AVID students to get involved, provide TJ a useful service, and an overall good learning experience,” said AVID Advisor Aimee Witulski.

AVID anticipates the campaign will help students adopt safer driving principles and avoid becoming another unfortunate statistic. “We hope to achieve a 100% percent seatbelt usage at TJ,” said Witulski.