Police Launch Texting And Driving Resource

Police Launch Texting And Driving Resource

New Zealand Police National News Release
8:37am 15 October 2008

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=4410

Police are launching an innovative teaching aid to educate secondary school students about the dangers of texting and driving.

"A msg in Contxt" draws on the experiences of those affected by the tragic deaths of teenage sisters Lucy and Isabelle Simon, aged 18 and 15, in January 2007. Their car hit a truck and the probable catalyst for the crash was texting whilst driving, leading to an overcorrection of steering.

The educational resource forms part of the Police Youth Education Service Programme. It uses a multi-media approach to highlight the risk factors and conditions that contribute to road crashes, particularly texting and driving.

It will be launched by the Minister for Transport Safety, Hon Harry Duynhoven and Police Commissioner Howard Broad.

"We have trialled it in a range of schools with excellent results." said Commissioner Broad.

"It is compelling; not only because it is so well considered but also because it is a story that could be about many other families"

Commissioner Broad went on to thank Lucy and Isabelle's mother, Anne McCabe, who had the courage to share her grief for the project.

The resource pack includes moving personal testimony from Lucy and Isabelle's brother Jimmy, who was 12 at the time of the accident, and the driver of the truck involved who was unable to work for two months following the crash.

Ends

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