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Objectives |
Attendees
will:
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gain experience in making good
choices through role-playing and evaluating the choices made by others
in a variety of case study scenarios.
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acquire an awareness of the
need to accept responsibility for both the good and bad consequences of
their actions.
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explore how choices have shaped
their lives, and affected the lives of those around them.
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receive information to help
them develop the right attitude to avoid impaired driving by recognizing
that poor choices regarding drinking and driving increase the probability
of a negative incident occurring.
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Previewing
Activities |
The issue of impaired driving
involves choices. Research shows that students make decisions based
not only on their attitudes toward impaired driving, but also on their
attitudes toward the alternatives, such as asking a friend for a ride home.
In order for students to change their attitudes toward impaired driving,
they must perceive that there is the likelihood of a negative event, such
as an arrest or an accident, as a result of this.
Before viewing Just One
Night, prepare a sample diagram on your chalk board on "How did you
decide what to eat for breakfast?" Explain how decisions are made
and the influence of alternatives and variables.
Now, have attendees reflect
on the personal choices they made about consuming alcohol and driving.
Have them create a diagram outlining the decisions they made on the day
they were stopped for DWI.
As the attendees work, monitor
their decision-making processes and record what you hear them say.
Address the issue of denial. Once the charts are finished, have the
students share with the class how they made their choices.
Some attendees will still believe that their "bad" choices/decisions were
actually "good" choices/decisions at the time. This should lead the
facilitator to valuable discussions on bad judgment and perceived state
of mind once under the influence of alcohol.
Emphasize that good and
bad choices/decisions have negative/positve short and long term effects.
Discuss this and distinguish which is which in the diagrams. Each
choice/decision can be compartmentalized into one or the other. You
will find "bad" choices/decisions have many short and long term negative
effects (i.e. a crash, loss of license, and fatalities), but on the flip
side, drinking and deciding to drive has few if any positive short or long
term effects (i.e. saved on a cab fare; maybe felt they were the most sober).
When diagrammed on the board, the negative side will always outweigh the
positive side. It should hit home when they see this imbalance on
the board and the question posed: "Why would you ever decide to drink and
drive after seeing all the negative long term effects of that bad choice/decision?"
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Focus
for Viewing |
To give the attendees a
specific responsibility while viewing Just One Night, ask them to
record what choices Tom Boyle made on the day of the accident. Ask
them to record who was affected by his decisions and how these decisions
affected his own life. Tell them to make sure their information is
accurate, because it will serve as the basis for post-viewing discussion. |
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VIEW THE TAPE
- RUNS 28 MINUTES |
Post
Viewing |
Have the class discuss
the decisions that Tom Boyle made on February 17. Highlight the people
affected by his choices. Then record how these decisions affected
both Tom's life and the lives of others. Point out to the attendees
how a group of seemingly isolated decisions led to a horrible situation.
Using the case study approach,
have attendees critically examine the factors that influence choices and
include their attitudes about impaired driving as a variable. Facilitators
need to create a hypothetical case study which will allow students to analyze
how simple choices impact lives and to learn more about the negative consequences
of impaired driving. The process will help students develop analytical
thinking skills, including listening for facts, synthesizing issues, and
developing logical arguments.
The case study should be
localized and typical to a situation so that it is closer to home for the
attendees. A case study may begin with:
A friend comes up to you
on Friday and says, "I'm inviting people over to my place for a party.
Want to come?"
You want to go to the party,
and you know there will be people drinking there.
Throughout the story, the
facilitator should stop and ask the attendee questions such as, "Do you
go to the party?" Discuss the answer by having attendees consider
various factors that would determine their decision whether or not to go.
Encourage them to contribute other things they might think about in making
their choice such as "who will be there?", "how do I get there?", "how
do I get home?", and "what are some other options for Friday night?"
Viewing |
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Some
of the alternatives to impaired driving and concerns that attendees should
raise include:
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asking a friend for a ride
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calling a taxi
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don't drink
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calling friends or family members
to come get you
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asking the friends you drove
to the party to understand if you can't drive them home.
Concerns
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impact of peer pressure
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would it be an imposition to
ask a friend for a ride
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would it be embarrassing to
admit you can't hold your liquor
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how do you feel
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what is the likelihood of getting
into an accident
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how severe might an accident
be
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what are my chances of getting
arrested
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what are the penalties
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how much would it cost
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can a lawyer be hired who would
reduce the penalties of an arrest or accident
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would you have a record for
life
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how would your family react
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The conclusion
of the case study should point out how simple decisions can affect other
decisions and ultimately shape their lives. Ask the attendees on
what facts they based their decision. Lead attendees through the
process of identifying and learning the significant factual information
about drinking, the body's reaction to drinking, and driving while impaired.
The goal is to share information in order to influence students' perceptions
of the consequences of impaired driving. The facts provide the basis
for analyzing decisions made. Analyzing issues and developing arguments
without a basic understanding of the facts can be both frustrating and
counterproductive.
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Extensions |
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Work with emergency medical
service (EMS) and medical personnel, local law enforcement, the local Students
Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter, the state highway safety
office, and other safety organizations to conduct a mock crash. Supplement
the mock crash by obtaining a safety belt convincer so students will have
the opportunity to experience the benefits of safety belts.
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Sponsor a safety holiday ornament
or t-shirt fund raising campaign for your community. Have a school contest
to come up with a design for the ornament or t-shirt and an impaired driving
slogan to go on the ornament. Proceeds from the campaign can go to support
school traffic safety programs.
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Invite a motivational speaker
to talk to students about having a fun alternatives without alcohol. Or
bring in a driver that has killed or injured someone in an alcohol-related
crash or a victim who was injured by an impaired driver to talk about how
their life has changed because of alcohol.
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Hold a summit on community
alcohol issues. Convene law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges,
parents, clergy, school representatives, and community leaders to discuss
the problem of youth access to alcohol and develop solutions to reducing
access and consumption.
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Have school clubs and safety
groups (drama club, varsity club, SADD, Future Homemakers of America, etc.)
work together to organize a community program on alcohol and impaired driving
awareness.
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Working with the courts, organize
a victim impact panel in which DWI offenders meet people who have lost
family members of friends to impaired driver
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Resources |
New
Hampshire Highway Safety Agency
Pine Inn Plaza
117 Manchester Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-2131 Fax:
(603) 271-3790
Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Bob Shearouse
511 East John Carpenter
Freeway #700
Irving, TX 75062
Phone: (214) 744-MADD (6233)
Fax: (972) 869-2206/2207
Students
Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
Bill Cullinane
101 Depot Road
Chatham, MA 02633
Phone: (508) 945-3122 Fax:
(508) 945-3944
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NH
Law |
Driving Under Influence of Drugs or
Liquor
In New Hampshire, a person
under the age of 21, who is driving a vehicle under the influence of intoxicating
liquor or any controlled drug with an alcohol concentration of 0.02 (about
one can of beer, glass of wine, or mixed drink) or more is considered Driving
Under Influence. They will be fined not less than $350; and will
lose driver's privilege for 3 months to 2 years.
A person under 21 convicted
of transportation of alcoholic beverages shall lose their right to drive
for 60 days.
Using a fake ID to purchase
alcohol is a minimum fine of $250.
Being under 21 and attempting
to purchase alcohol is a minimum fine of $250.
Being under 21 and having
possession of alcohol is a minimum fine of $50.
OUR
PARTNERS
To educate the public
on the dangers of impaired driving, New Hampshire Public Television, the
N.H. Highway Safety Administration, the N.H. Department of Safety, and
N.H. Department of Corrections have formed a powerful alliance to present
Just One Night. We also received help from the Department of Health
and Human Services in preparing this guide.
OUR
FUNDERS
Just One Night is a
New Hampshire Public Television production, made possible in part by funding
from:
New Hampshire Bar Foundation
The Fuller Foundation
New Hampshire Highway Safety
Agency |
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