Positive Ticketing Campaign at Vanier Collegiate
As part of National Teen Driver Safety Week, Students Against Distracted Driving (SADD) teamed up with SGI and the Moose Jaw Police to promote practicing safe driving habits with “positive tickets.”
SADD sponsored a positive ticketing campaign at Vanier Collegiate where students were ‘ticketed’ for driving safely without distractions. During the activity, students leaving the parking lot were stopped by the Moose Jaw Police, SADD and SGI, where they were given a ‘positive ticket’ and other incentives if they were driving without any kind of distractions.
Sharol Murdock, Adult Advisor for Students Against Distracted Driving (SADD), says this is a positive, hands-on approach for students to be aware of safe driving habits. The students are given a positive ticket with a chance to win prizes from a provincial draw. “The positive ticketing campaign is a collaboration between SGI and the Moose Jaw Police; it is an educational activity for students to learn about not driving distracted. What we are doing this week is to stop students as they come out of the parking lot and if they have chosen not to drive distracted, then they receive a positive ticket which is piece of paper they enter for big prizes that are happening across the province,” she explained.
“The SADD program has been ongoing for about 12 years so this was a natural relationship that started when SGI contacted us. This is our second year of doing the positive ticketing campaign here at Vanier but we do all sorts of other activities to create awareness. The students love the campaign because it is a hands-on learning experience, not just someone telling you what to do. We have 22 students this year in the SADD group and we have a great relationship with SGI and the Moose Jaw Police. This wouldn’t be possible without these positive relationships.” she added.
Jeremy Lavalley from Traffic Safety Promotion with SGI says this campaign engages youth and brings awareness. “It is all about engaging with our youth and the members of the Moose Jaw Police and promoting positive enforcements against distracted driving. It’s National Teen Driver Week so we are focusing on impaired and distracted driving. We are not here to issue traffic tickets but reinforce positive driving habits through a positive ticketing system and giving away promotional items.”