Niagara County Traffic Safety Fair

The Niagara County Traffic Safety Fair is an annual event held prior to the prom season that targets high school students in Niagara and surrounding counties. Although coordinated by the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, numerous organizations, both public and private are traditionally involved in this project that is designed to reinforce safe driving habits.

The program begins with a short video on drinking and driving which is reinforced by a Victim's Impact Panel and an overview of the problem by law enforcement personnel. This session concludes with a casket being wheeled out on the stage with a picture of the victim that the Panel had personalized through its discussion.

The students then attended a number of specialized presentations delivered by a variety of traffic safety related organizations on topics such as seatbelts, railroad crossings, motorcycle helmets and the like. Student next put on "Fatal Vision Goggles" and attempt to play catch and drive a golf cart through a series of cones. They then, under the strict supervision of a trained EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) police officer drive a car through another cone exercise and finally they remove the goggles and drive the same course while receiving and responding to a text message!

Finally they hear a 911 call for a personal injury automobile crash and watch, at a safe distance as two cars collide at 30 mph. Police, fire and EMS personnel and equipment respond as if it was a real crash while a police officer narrates what is occurring at the scene.

The program has been in operation for thirteen years with approximately 3,300 students attending on an annual basis.

Battle of the Belts

The State of Missouri's Battle of the Belts may be used as a model program for your school.