web1_tea2.jpg

If you can’t make it to Yorkshire, try downtown Wilkes-Barre’s answer to Downton Abbey

Wilkes-Barre’s new mayor says he won’t attend city council meetings

<p>HANOVER TWP. &#8212; According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, vehicular accidents are the leading cause of death in teens, and about a quarter of those crashes involve underage drinking.</p><p>Hanover Area High School took steps toward helping bring that statistic down Monday with a &#8220;safety day&#8221; at the school. High school principal Daniel Malloy said the school took the idea from Dallas&#8217; <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/archive/383893/news-home_top-local-news-news-152011706-an-eye-opening-experience" target="_blank">Driver Safety presentation</a>. The school brought in Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services and Northeast Highway Safety &#8212; a division of Catholic Social Services &#8212; as well as four of Lehigh Valley Health Network&#8217;s drunk/distracted driving simulators.</p><p>Kori Britton, Hanover Area&#8217;s Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services representative, explained there were different stops set up in the gymnasium for seniors to find out &#8220;how simple tasks (golfing, driving a motorized wheelchair, riding a bike) become complicated when drunk.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve coordinated it with other events at the school,&#8221; Malloy said, noting the school&#8217;s semi-formal and prom are coming up. &#8220;They&#8217;re exposed to information.&#8221;</p><p>William D. McQuiken, trauma prevention coordinator for the Lehigh Valley Health Network, explained the simulators &#8220;replicate driving&#8221; and &#8220;were custom built&#8221; for Pennsylvania traffic laws.</p><p>Regina Deno and Nathan Mansfield, both 18, took turns at the simulations.</p><p>Deno admitted she hit a curb during her time at the simulator and during the post-simulation video learned she would be &#8220;without a car for three weeks.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s teaches me definitely not to drink and drive,&#8221; Deno said.</p><p>Mansfield hit a pedestrian during his time at the wheel. Deno watched Mansfield&#8217;s sentencing &#8212; no less than three years, no more than six years as well as payment of court restitution and fines, according to the judge on the computer screen.</p><p>&#8220;It seemed real,&#8221; Mansfield quipped before he and Deno walked to the area of the gym with the automated wheelchair and the goggles that simulate drunkenness.</p><p>&#8220;That (the wheelchair) was rough,&#8221; Deno laughed before confessing she hit the cones, which represented real people.</p><p>Malloy was happy that early, but brief, responses from those who had gone through the tasks were positive.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012616safehanover.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A Hanover Area senior tries driving a power chair type vehicle through an obstacle course while wearing goggles that simulate drunkenness during senior safety day. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012616safehanover.jpg</photo0><caption0>A Hanover Area senior tries driving a power chair type vehicle through an obstacle course while wearing goggles that simulate drunkenness during senior safety day. </caption0><photoCredit0>Clark Van Orden | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Senior safety day at Hanover Area High School teaches the dangers of drunk and distracted driving