What: Via Christi Health, with the support of a two-year grant totaling $200,000 from Kohl’s, is launching a new teen driver program that will provide free hands-on education to teens and pre-teens about the dangers posed by distracted or impaired driving through year-round school presentations and community events.
When and where: The program kicks off Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Late Night at the South YMCA, which opens its doors after hours, 8:30-11:30 p.m., to ensure that every high school student has a positive place to go on Saturday night. The free Late Night program serves hundreds of kids each week and offers everything from basketball and swimming to Zumba and board games.
Who and what: Ronda Lusk, RN, who leads Trauma outreach and education for Via Christi’s Wichita hospitals, and other Kohl’s Safe Teen volunteers will be bringing a driving simulator that allow teens to virtually experience the risks of distracted and impaired driving to this week’s event.
The goal of the Kohl’s Safe Teen program, says Lusk, is to reduce the number of injuries and deaths from motor vehicle crashes involving teens either behind the wheel or in the passenger seat.
