Krista Vetrano, Wootton junior
“[Seeing the documentary ‘Smashed'] was probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. … Hearing the actual kids actually talk about the experience is a lot different from hearing a teacher standing there and telling the class not to drink and drive.”
Matt Ford, Wootton senior
“The drunk driving program that we do in school, I don’t know if that helps. If kids are drinking and driving right now, I don’t know why they’d stop.”
Jurgen Tabaku, Wootton senior
“A woman I know at work knows a family where both parents were killed in car accidents. They had three kids between 13 and 18, and they have to live with their grandmother. If it’s family or someone you know who’s been hit, it hits you.”
Michele Levy, Wootton junior
“Having so many people in the car can be a distraction – you’re changing the radio, or looking back to talk someone. A teenager just hit my bumper the other day.”
Scott Yamada, Wootton senior
“My parents always point out when there’s an article I should read, and often I have to read it to them. It does stick in my mind.”
Christine Casey, Holton-Arms junior
“I think the graduated licensing idea is really smart. Zero-tolerance laws are important, too, the type they have in public schools.”
Derek Loureiro, B-CC freshman
“I think the law about having too many people in the car is a good idea. My parents already have problems with me and my brothers in the car, so imagine a Kid who’s just learning to drive.”
Jill Kurnot, Sherwood sophomore
"I feel that I'd rather be inconvenienced and be a little bit more uncool with my peers than dead. .... A lot of my friends don't know the facts and I'm one of the kids that knows the facts. Also I think that parents really need to step in because parents also don't know the facts and I think that if they knew the facts and they told their children the facts then maybe they would make better choices."
Daniel Gopenko, Wootton senior
“People see these advertisements, and while they’re watching it, it will register as they’re watching, but once a real situation comes along, they’ve forgotten what they saw.”
Charles Hurley, Vice President, Transportation Safety Group, National Safety Council
"We shouldn't be surprised that teens have the highest crash risk. ... Good graduated licensing can reduce teen fatalities 25 to 40 percent. And it involves phasing in the responsibility of driving under lower risk settings where you get lots of behind the wheel experience. And that's a proven system that works. We don't give pilots the keys to a plane in 5 minutes. We don't do it in five days or five weeks. It's a very disciplined approach to phase in the responsibilities of driving."
Jon Raizon, Churchill sophomore
“I don’t think [restricting] the number of teenagers in the car is a good idea. Maybe for the first six months, but not the whole provisional license.”
Matt Leemhuis, Churchill junior
“Sixteen is a bit young, but in America, parents are working, so kids need a way of transportation. … I think 16 is a good age, as long as you’re mature about it.”
Rachel Holzman, Churchill sophomore
“I just think they need to teach kids to drink responsibly, instead of telling them not to drink.”
Ryan Doherty, Churchill senior
“My mom said when she was in driving school, they used to show videos of car crashes, wrecked cars, and peoples’ bodies that were in the crashes. My mom said it scared her a lot. They don’t show these videos now, and I think they should.”