Nintendo’s Mario Kart Helping Kids Understand The Dangers Of Distracted Driving

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May 22, 2009
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THE CHOICE of game might seem an odd one, but according to officials at Vail Christian High School in the US, a new school program is giving young drivers a better understanding of the dangers of driving distracted.

Using a Nintendo Wii video game console and a copy of the popular Mario Kart Wii racing game, Vail Christian High and the local sheriff and fire departments have devised a project that they say perfectly captures the attention of the students, while driving home the important lesson.

mariokartwii-02.png As part of the program, students attempt to navigate safely around the track – holding the Wii steering wheel accessory – while also trying to compose a text message on their mobile phones.

Kim Greene of the Vail Valley Medical Centre said the program focuses on all types of dangerous distractions one might experience while driving.

The program was created as part of a competition entry for the National Youth Traffic Safety Month, where the school with the best safety program will be awarded US$10,000.

 

"I ran into a lot of things and it was very stressful,” student Alli O’Brian, 13 years old, told Colorado’s 9News.

“I don’t think I’ll text.”

 

Sounds like she gets the idea.

[via 9news.com]

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Comments

  • N [reply]
    10 months ago 0 points
    then again, you'll have some kids going "but this is just a fun game you play at home with your friends, it's not driving an actual car, this isn't teaching me nothing"

    Interesting idea though :]
  • Jon [reply]
    6 months ago 0 points
    Interesting article, i played mario kart as a kid but i never really considered it to have an affect on my driving.

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