“5 Questions With…” is a new monthly column that will feature 5-question interviews with the students, faculty, and staff at Law that are making news in and out of the classroom.

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February 26, 2016

By Valeria Araujo – News Editor

On February 18, all juniors at Jonathan Law attended an assembly in the new gym about the dangers of texting and driving, which was set up by Officer Kiely and other faculty members.

Valeria Araujo: Why do you think the driving simulator program is important?

Officer Kiely: It’s important because the students should  know the perspective of a person who texts and drives.

VA: How do you think it benefits the student?

OK: Because they have this perspective they can realize the dangers of it and they can learn why not to text and drive.

VA: How did you go about setting the program up at Jonathan Law?

OK: I found them online and it was actually free because the CT Department of Transportation (DOT) is sponsoring the program and they’re are going to be here for a month or so going from school to school in CT giving the program.

VA: What is the driving simulator? Did you try the simulator?

OK: Yes I did, and I failed miserably. The way the simulator works is that you’re seated in front of a screen, that is actually model from real streets in Colorado and Canada, and other places, and you drive like you normally would but they have a phone plugged into the system. The system will send texts to the phone and the person who is in the simulator will have to respond, but when they do start to respond the game will automatically create a situation in which texting and driving becomes very dangerous and they can get into accident that are either minor or severe. There was even a kid who while doing the simulation flipped their car over.

VA: Are you going to implement this program as an annual thing?

OK: We are going to go one year here and the next year at Foran, and so on, that way everyone can get the experience. Because all were welcome to come down and try the simulator during their free period, most got to try the simulation, so by doing it every other year new people can learn and participate in the simulator.