MEDIA: Photos from today’s event can be found in the SCDPS online photo album here.
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) joined NASCAR Driver Ross Chastain to host an interactive event with students and staff at South Florence High School (SFHS) today.
The school is only 16 miles away from Darlington Raceway, where the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR will begin tomorrow, April 5.
Before driving in the big race, Chastain took the opportunity to engage one-on-one with students, encouraging them to make safe decisions behind the wheel and showing off his car, signing autographs, and answering questions about his career.
“I love every opportunity I get to talk with high school students because they’re at such a critical age where inexperience and peer pressure can be a dangerous combination,” says NASCAR driver Ross Chastain. “All it takes is one bad decision as a driver or a passenger, and their life can be changed forever, either through a life-altering injury, the loss of a friend, or the loss of their own life. If one student walks away and drives safer because of what they experienced today, I consider this event a huge success.”
South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers also interacted with the young drivers by constructing an impaired driving course. Students took turns driving a Highway Patrol golf cart through the course while wearing impairment-goggles, which simulates the effects of alcohol or drugs on driving skills.
Staff from the Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, a division of SCDPS, also set up a table for students to visit, offering educational giveaways and a chance to play corn hole with safety messages on them. Students attempted to land a cornhole bag on the board while wearing Fatal Vision alcohol goggles, which simulate an impaired state, allowing them to experience how much alcohol affects spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination.
“This partnership with Ross and our local schools are so important to us in our mission of saving lives,” SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV said. “We believe these interactive outreach programs, especially with this age group, allow these young drivers to understand the real consequences of even one bad choice. We hope today’s experience will help shape their future decisions in a positive way.”
SCDPS, the SC Highway Patrol, and the Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs have brought educational outreach events to communities across the state for decades. The goal is to allow students to experience real-life dangers behind the wheel in a safe and controlled environment so they make better choices when they are without supervision.
“It is my great pleasure to welcome the Department of Public Safety and NASCAR driver Ross Chastain to South Florence. We are incredibly excited to have them here with us as they engage our students in a hands-on, safe driving demonstration. This is an amazing opportunity to learn firsthand from experts who are dedicated to keeping our roads safer for everyone,” South Florence High School Principal, Shand Josey said.
“As a school, we are committed to not only academic growth but also to helping our students develop the skills and knowledge they need to make safe decisions, especially when it comes to something as important as driving. This event will help increase our students' awareness of how to stay safe behind the wheel, and we are thrilled to be able to partner with these incredible organizations to bring this valuable learning experience to life. Thank you to the Department of Public Safety and Ross Chastain for sharing your time and expertise with us today.”
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. Our mission is to ensure public safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.