Distractology 101: Promoting Safe Driving

Ashland High School’s (AHS) Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club recently hosted a weeklong program to encourage students to become safe drivers. Simulators provided a driving test and calculated possible effects of distracted driving. This test course is called Distractology, or the science of distracted driving (www.distractology.com).
The Distractology test takes place in a trailer with two driving simulators with the controls of an ordinary car. To take the 30-minute test, students sat at the controls and were presented with everyday driving distractions, like texting, adjusting the radio or interacting with other passengers in the car. Common road hazards were also presented. The simulator then measured the driver’s reaction times and predicted a possible outcome, such as the car crashing into a tree, another car, or a bicyclist.
AHS guidance counselor and SADD advisor Mr. Brian Garrigan explained the program’s goal: “To demonstrate the potentially destructive and fatal effects of distracted driving, and have students actually experience a simulation of what that’s like.”
The Distractology simulator was completely booked for the entire week; 80 students completed the simulator. Distractology was hosted at AHS once before, in October 2013. The SADD club hopes that it can be brought back in a few years for the next wave of new and developing student drivers.
Mr. Garrigan said the Distractology course relates to each of AHS’s five core values. Students practice involvement by “volunteering to go through the Distractology program for personal growth,” and show respect by “wanting to be a better driver out of a concern that other drivers, passengers in your car and pedestrians are safe.” They demonstrate responsibility by “making a conscious choice to try and be a better, safer driver,” and achievement by “working through the same simulations multiple times in order to improve [their] reaction time.” Lastly, participation in Distractology shows integrity by the students’ “knowing that distracted driving can have disastrous results, and choosing to try and better [themselves].”
AHS chose to host Distractology because distracted driving is commonplace and can have serious consequences. According to one study, 21 percent of teen driving fatalities involve cell phone distraction. Another study shows a higher incidence of traffic accidents among young drivers when accompanied by passengers. Other distractions come from the radio, Bluetooth, GPS and other devices, as well as from eating and drinking while driving.
Mr. Garrigan, as well as the whole of AHS, would like to thank Chris Fitts from Fitts Insurancy in Framingham, Arbella Insurance, and the SADD club for making Distractology possible this year.
So, in a world of many distractions, remember that it is up to you to be safe, and to keep your eyes on the road, no matter how old you are.