TADD program adopted at Northeast Kings

BY PAT MARTIN

Believing that education is the key to survival, organizers of the New Minas Young Drivers of Canada met at Northeast Kings Educational Centre (NKEC) in Canning Tuesday, Nov. 4 while working in partnership with several Valley schools, local police and organizers of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to promote the Teens Against Drinking and Driving program.

Teens Against Drinking and Driving (TADD) chapters were established in Ontario in the 1980s to help promote awareness by educating teens 16-19 years of age and therefore reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related deaths on our roadways. Nova Scotia adopted the TADD program in 1987.

Getting the message out early is the key. Would you wait until your child is 10 years old to teach them basic survival skills like not taking candy from a stranger? Of course not. Teaching newly licensed drivers basic survival skills like not drinking and driving is the simplest and safest way for them to stay alive. “Keep your dreams alive – don’t drink and drive” is TADD’s mission statement. The TADD program is designed to facilitate communication between TADD chapters while providing public awareness with the assistance of guest speakers and available resources.

Young Drivers of Canada's is known for providing exceptional opportunities for teens, adults and those wishing to sharpen their driver skills by teaching how to stay collision-free.

Learn essential techniques “The course and teachers were excellent. They improved existing and new skills with an interesting and informative approach stressing alertness, confidence and control, with a heavy focus on defensive driving,” said Joe Martin of Avonport, who took the Young Drivers course several years ago.

With in-class and in-car techniques taught by skilled professionals, students learn the essential techniques to elude head-on collisions, rear crashes and proper highway driving.

However, is it enough to simply know what to do? If a driver is drunk or high on drugs behind the wheel, all skills learned are set aside when their ability to operate a vehicle safely is impaired. Young Drivers of Canada believes education to teach defensive skills is the key to survival.

Carol Robar from the New Minas Young Drivers of Canada and Valley coordinator partnered with community policing coordinator Constable Angie McWaid of the Kentville Police Service; Jennifer Osmond, biology teacher and student advisor at Northeast Kings Education Centre in Canning; Marie Macleod, Lunenburg-Queens MADD Chapter; and several Valley schools to promote the TADD program.

High schools West Kings in Auburn, Central Kings in Cambridge Station, Horton in Greenwich and Northeast Kings have all climbed on board to create new TADD chapters.

Osmond announced the meeting and launch of the new program at NKEC a week prior to the event, conveying to the students the meeting was open to anyone interested in learning more about the TADD program.

Organizers are optimistic

Optimistic organizers introduced the TADD program to 24 NKEC students Nov. 4 to educate them on the negative aspects of drinking and driving while providing fun alternatives that do not involve alcohol and drugs. Students attending were also treated to lunchtime pizza.

TADD manuals were distributed to each student to teach him or her how to organize their own student-led TADD chapter. The program would explore attitudes toward alcohol and drug use or abuse, how it affects teen drivers, the social and legal consequences, and alternatives like self-help groups, and much more.

The original content of the TADD manual was adopted by TADD, N.B. in 2007 by Constable Tammy Ward (RCMP) and was created for Nova Scotia by McWaid along with Robar and MacLeod. The Bristol Group designed the N.B. logo and Speedpro Signs in Kentville the N.S. logo.

Macleod brought along a student-made banner to help promote the program created in 1988 by North Queens Rural High School students in Caledonia, Queens Co. Many of the student designers of the banner went on to become teachers and lawyers.

NKEC students are planning to move forward, but have not yet set a date for their first meeting. Elections and brainstorming as to how they want to approach projects, keeping a balance between educating their peers and organizing events that they would find fun, will emerge.

Each high school chapter is run as an extracurricular organization and is responsible for its own fundraisers and getting local campaign sponsors, and would include a staff advisor, an internal membership drive, weekly meetings and would operate on a yearly student input plan of action. “I want to see all the kids working together. Peer pressure works both ways,” says Robar. “They need to learn at a young age the skills necessary to organize alcohol- and drug-free events.”

Getting the students involved in the discussion, Macleod asked, “We want to know your thoughts. How can we do more things that don’t involve drugs and alcohol?”

Relevant information included: don’t drink and drive; don’t let friends drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol; don’t ride with an impaired driver; don’t be influenced by peer pressure; always buckle your seatbelts; obey speed limits; join a TADD group and spread the word to others. “I have so many students ask me how I party if I don’t drink. Good food and good friends make good times that actually make me healthier. Throw in some good music and I’m over the top. And a bonus? I can remember those good times anytime I want,” Robar said. “I want students to know that if they see someone drinking and causing a problem or driving that it is okay for them to call 911,” McWaid said. “Impaired driving is the leading cause of criminal death in Canada. Keep your dreams alive – don’t drink and drive.”