A hands-on safety event in Larimore gave students a jarring look at impaired driving, as a go-kart course turned routine turns into near-misses and hard lessons.
On Wednesday, April 30, at Larimore Public School, students took part in the Vision Zero School kickoff day. The program brought a street-side obstacle course of bright orange cones and a small go-kart to show how impairment can warp reflexes and judgment. One participant, student Cale Pietron, summed up the feeling in two words: “really weird.”
Inside the Street-Side Lesson
The course sat just off the school grounds. Students cycled through the seat, steering the kart through a tight lane of cones. The setup mimicked the delayed reactions and misjudged turns linked to impaired driving.
“Really weird,” Pietron said after stepping off the kart. “The vehicle would turn when you’re going …”
The point was simple. Even small delays in steering or braking can turn a routine trip into a crash. Organizers designed the run to be safe but eye-opening. Instructors guided students before and after each attempt, pointing out missed cones and rushed corrections.
Why Schools Are Turning to Simulators
Vision Zero campaigns have grown in schools because lectures alone often fall flat. Teens tend to learn best when they can feel cause and effect. A controlled course offers that moment.
In Larimore, the cart and cones brought abstract warnings into sharp focus. A slip of the wheel was easy to see. Students also saw how quickly small mistakes stack up under pressure.
- Short courses model real street choices: brake now, turn later, or slow down first.
- Instructors can pause, reset, and talk through decisions on the spot.
- Peers watch and learn, which builds shared expectations about safer driving.
Student Reactions and Takeaways
Students compared notes between runs. Many admitted they underestimated how hard it would be to hold a line. Watching friends clip cones made the lesson stick.
Pietron’s comments captured the awkward lag that the exercise tried to spotlight. His reaction echoed what instructors aim for: a clear memory that decisions behind the wheel are unforgiving, even at low speed.
The Bigger Picture on Road Safety
Programs under the Vision Zero banner share a core goal: fewer deaths and serious injuries on roads. School events target new drivers, who are still building habits and confidence.
Safety advocates say immersive lessons can reduce risky choices. They stress a few themes for teens:
- Plan a ride if you are not fit to drive.
- Slow down and give yourself space to react.
- Put the phone away and keep eyes up.
Larimore’s event fits a broader push to reach young drivers before summer, when teen crashes often climb. Spring kickoffs can set a tone for the months ahead.
Community Role and Next Steps
While the kart drew the laughs and gasps, adults nearby watched with intent. Teachers, staff, and local partners backed the effort to bring safety instruction out of the classroom.
These exercises work best when schools and families reinforce the same message. Consistent expectations at home, plus visible programs at school, can shift habits. Community leaders also point out that safe choices ripple outward, protecting passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers.
Organizers said similar events may return, paired with refreshers on distracted driving and seat belt use. They encourage students to carry the memory of the course into real driving, where the stakes are higher and the cones are replaced by people.
The Larimore session delivered a clear takeaway. Skills matter, but judgment matters more. As spring turns to summer, that reminder may be the difference between a close call and a call home.
