"Drive Square Program" at St. Mary's County High Schools

On Monday, September 8, 2014 and Tuesday, September 9, 2014, St. Mary’s County Public Schools’ (SMCPS) Department of Safety and Security, in partnership with the Potomac Region Highway Safety Office, St. Mary’s County Highway Safety Program, Kiwanis International, and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office will bring the “Drive Square” Driver Simulator Program to St. Mary’s County. The program targets teen driver safety and will place an emphasis on the risks associated with distracted driving (texting and talking on the phone). Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death nationally for teens. The program will include student participation by area high school students during the school day and will open to the public each day from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., to provide an opportunity for parents of licensed, or soon to be licensed, teen drivers an opportunity to participate using the simulator system to learn more about the risks associated with distracted driving behaviors. The Kiwanis International of St. Mary’s County received a grant to sponsor the program and the event is free of charge. The goal of the program is to increase community awareness about the risks associated with distracted driving. The St. Mary’s County Public Schools’ Young Driver Safety Program continues to sponsor activities and events each year designed to further educate SMCPS high school students about personal safety and avoiding high risks driving behaviors. The location and times for the Drive Square Program are:

Monday, September 8, 2014 at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center, open to the public from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at Great Mills High School, open to the public from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Drive Square creates a realistic driving experience providing a 360° panoramic view of the road and surrounding area through virtual reality goggles. The driving environment inside the goggles is computer-generated by simulation software that receives data from the wheels and pedals of the vehicle to provide an interactive experience and a wide variety of driving situations.

Drive Square:

Allows teens to experience and learn how to handle dangerous situations that can’t be predicted on the road, but in a safe, controlled environment

Provides a wide variety of situations teens will encounter as independent drivers, such as: unexpected obstacles, pedestrians, being cut off by other drivers, items falling out of other vehicles, potential head on collisions, other cars running red lights and stop signs, dangerous driving conditions such as rain, snow and ice, etc.