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This News Break Sponsored by
ON THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2011 THE DULUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT’S C.O.P.S. DIVISION HOSTED AN
OPERATION DRIVE SMART EXPO FOR THE STUDENTS AT HEARD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
THE DRIVE SMART EXPO CONSISTED OF VARIOUS STATIONS WHERE STUDENTS WERE TAUGHT
THE IMPORTANCE OF TEEN SAFE DRIVING. THE VARIOUS STATIONS INCLUDED DULUTH POLICE
DEPARMENTS’S SEATBELT ROLLOVER SIMULATOR AND DUI GOLF CART, FRANKLIN POLICE
DEPARTMENT, HEARD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, HEARD COUNTY FIRE/EMS, TROOPER BLACK
WITH THE GEORGIA STATE PATROL SAFETY EDUCATION UNIT, GEORGIA MOTOR TRUCKING
ASSOCIATION AND EMORY FLIGHT/RESCUE AIR.
THE STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO VISIT EACH STATION WHERE VARIOUS TOPICS INCLUDING: DUI
LAWS, SPEEDING & SUPER SPEEDER LAW, SEATBELT LAWS, MOVE OVER LAW, CELL
PHONE/TEXTING LAW AND JOSHUA’S LAW. THE STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS
AND WERE PROVIDED WITH VARIOUS COPIES OF THESE LAWS.
DULUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT, SGT. STEVE DANIELS, OFFICER BOBBY JOHNSON AND OFFICER
MATT BAKER SET UP A CONE COURSE AND ALLOWED STUDENTS TO DRIVE A GOLF CART
THROUGH THE COURSE. THE STUDENTS WORE GOGGLES WHICH AFFECTED THEIR ABILITY TO
SEE CLEARLY. THESE SPECIAL GOGGLES ARE SIMULATIONS OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT
A PERSON UNDER THE INFLUENCENCE OF ALCOHOL WOULD FEEL AND SEE. IT AFFECTS A
PERSONS HAND/EYE COORDINATION, DULUTH OFFICES ALSO DEMONSTRATED BY THROWING A
BALL TO STUDENTS WHO WERE WEARING THE GOGGLES TO SHOW HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS
THEIR SENSES.
DULUTH OFFICERS ALSO HAD A ROLL-OVER SIMULATOR ON DISPLAY. THIS IS A MODEL OF A
VEHICLE WHICH SEATS TWO “DUMMIES” INSIDE THE CAB OF A VEHICLE WHICH IS BUILT ON A
FRAME AND IS MADE TO SIMULATE AN ACTUAL VEHICLE ROLLOVER. THE OFFICERS FIRST
DEMONSTRATE THE ROLLOVER WITH TWO DUMMIES STRAPPED INTO THE SEATS WITH
SEATBELTS PROPERLY IN USE. THE SEATBELT IS THEN REMOVED FROM THE DUMMIES AND ONCE
THE VEHICLE IS SET IN MOTION, THE DUMMIE IS EVENTUALLY EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE.
“THE STUDENTS WERE VERY INTERESTED AND INTERACTIVE WITH EACH DISPLAY. SGT. DANIELS
BRAGGED ON THE MANNERISMS AND HOW WELL BEHAVED THE STUDENTS WERE. I AM SO VERY
PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS AND HOW ATTENTATIVE THEY WERE DURING THE PRESENTATIONS. I
HOPE THAT WE MADE AN IMPRESSION ON OUR TEENS AND THEY LEARNED JUST HOW DANGEROUS
DRIVING CAN BE IF DISTRACTED,” STATED FRANKLIN POLICE CHIEF KEVIN HANNAH.
“BY HOLDING THIS EVENT, I’M HOPEFULTHAT WE CAN EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN ON THE
IMPORTANCE OF SAFE DRIVING. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUNG DRIVERS ARE AWARE OF HOW
QUICK AND EASY IT IS TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THEY ALSO NEED TO KNOW THAT NO MATTER HOW
SAFE A DRIVER THEY ARE, THAT THEY ALSO NEED TO BE AWARE OF OTHER DRIVERS ON THE
ROADWAY. THE EXPO WAS A FUN AND INTERACTIVE WAY OF PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO
OUR TEENS,” STATED HEARD COUNTY SHERIFF ROSS HENRY.
“WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK SGT. STEVE DANIELS AND THE DULUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT ALONG
WITH THE STAFF OF HEARD COUTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR COORDINATING THIS EVENT. WE ALSO
WANT TO THANK ALL THE PARTICIPANTS INVOLVED FOR TAKING TIME TO EDUCATE OUR
STUDENTS. WE HOPE TO MAKE THIS AN ANNUAL EVENT AND ARE ALREADY IN THE PLANNING
PROCESS FOR AN EVENT TO BE HELD IN 2012,” ADDED SHERIFF HENRY AND CHIEF HANNAH.