Working to educate young people about the dangers of impaired and distracted driving comes with its own set of rewards when those young people buckle up, drive responsibly, and return home safely to their families.
The methods the City of Greer Police Department uses to help educate young drivers earned their own reward Tuesday when the Alive at 25 program and SIDNE go-kart training tool won the 2012 Municipal Association of South Carolina Achievement Award for Public Safety.
“The MASC Achievement Awards annually highlight the most innovative programs in South Carolina. It’s highly competitive and we’re thrilled that the judges have honored the City of Greer’s program to curtail distracted and impaired driving,” city administrator Ed Driggers said.
Judging criteria for the MASC Achievement Awards include: innovation; efficient use of resources; effective use of partnerships; quantifiable results; role in the city’s overall vision; and adaptability to other municipalities. Member cities and towns may submit one entry annually in one of four population divisions for cities with fewer than 20,000 residents or in a specific category for communications, economic development, public service, or public safety.
In addition to a written submission, the category divisions require an oral presentation about an entry.
The City of Greer implemented Alive at 25, a one-day interactive driver education program, in 1999 to target drivers in the 15-24 age group. Led by Cpl. Brenda Veach, the class bluntly addresses the consequences of making bad decisions while driving. Any student who desires to purchase a parking pass at Riverside High School must attend an Alive at 25 class.
To complement the program, the City of Greer partnered in 2011 with the City of Duncan and the Town of Lyman to purchase the Simulated Impaired Driving Experience (SIDNE) package that puts young people behind the wheel of a specially-designed go-kart. With the aid of trained instructor Sgt. Chad Richardson who is able to remotely interrupt the controls, SIDNE gives the driver a safe-but-effective experience of the potential dangers of driving impaired or distracted.
Alive at 25 and SIDNE combine to deliver an interactive classroom and field experience.
“Public safety is not only the number one goal of our police department, but it is a key element of the City of Greer’s strategic plan,” police chief Dan Reynolds said. “Preserving the lives of young people with teaching tools that ideally will instill safe driving skills for a lifetime promotes a higher quality of life for all in the community.”
The MASC Achievement Award program is celebrating its 25th year of recognizing superior and innovative efforts in local government. The 2012 awards will be presented during the association’s annual meeting scheduled for June 28 - July 1.