Students See Dangers of Texting-While-Driving

Students at Clayton High School got a first hand look recently at how dangerous texting-while-driving can be.

Local police, working with the State Highway Patrol, set up a driving course in the school parking lot using traffic cones, then put students into a golf cart and asked them to send a text message while driving the course. The results were disastrous.

"The students performed poorly," the Department said in a report on the exercise. "Distracted drivers are a hazard for everyone on our roadways and texting is a terrible habit, especially among many younger drivers."

With cones knocked around every direction, students got a chance to actually feel the effects of distracted driving while never leaving the safety of the school grounds.

“We appreciate the administrative staff at Clayton High School for coordinating this event, which illustrates the school’s commitment toward improving the safety of their students, especially in light of the high rate of teenage driver crashes here in Johnston County,” said Police Chief Glen Allen.

The exercise was part of a student's Senior Project.