The key objectives are:

• Increase awareness among students in grades 4 through 6 to the dangers of drinking alcohol and taking drugs;
• Increase awareness among young people about the tragic consequences of impaired driving;
• Educate students about the dangers of being a passenger in a vehicle driven by an impaired driver and provide them with safety strategies;
• Empower children to trust their instincts and to not give in to peer pressure;
• Reduce the incidences of impaired driving among youth by changing attitudes and behaviours about alcohol and drugs well before youth can actually drive.

The presentation has been specifically designed for grades 4-6 students.

Impaired driving takes a disproportionate toll among young Canadians: traffic crashes are the largest single cause of death among 16-25 year olds with approximately 55% of crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs.

Many studies state that one of the most consistent and robust factors associated with future substance problems is early initiation of the use.

In a 2015 survey, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found that the use of alcohol and cannabis starts as early as age 11 and that use increases steadily between grades 7 and 9. The survey also found that 14% of 7th graders tried alcohol before the end of grade 6 and 17% tried cannabis for the first time in the past 12 months, validating that this program’s target of grades 4-6 is the ideal time to educate students before they are faced with making decisions about alcohol and drugs.

This is further supported by studies which show that youth who drink alcohol before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependency than those who wait until age 21². The CAMH survey recommends there is a need for programs that focus on reducing alcohol/drug use among youth and that prevention efforts should target young people’s beliefs and attitudes about drugs, specifically the risks of physical harms that can occur from use. These recommendations directly align with the key objectives of SmartWheels.

Although students are not yet driving or may not yet be experimenting with alcohol or drugs, we know that educating students at a young age helps them develop the necessary skills required to make important decisions when the time comes. Some students may already be exposed to being a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone (even a parent) who is impaired or have been in situations where they were around drugs and alcohol. We want these students to know their options before they are faced with actually making the choice to drive impaired or get in a vehicle with someone who is impaired. Our program guides them and gives them the tools that will prepare them for making smart and responsible choices before they enter high school.

2015 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health survey, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
² 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Center for Behavioural Health Statistics and Quality

We have one Facilitator and RV travelling a scheduled route across Ontario during the school year and one Facilitator and RV travelling a scheduled route across Saskatchewan during the school year and we will do our best to accommodate your school. It is best to contact the SmartWheels Coordinator as soon as possible to inquire about dates and availability in your area.

Yes, you can download these school announcement posters.

MADD_SmartWheels_SchoolPosterGirl

MADD_SmartWheels_SchoolPosterBoy

The Facilitator is happy to answer questions throughout the presentation. We also encourage teachers to follow-up with their students back in their classroom. To facilitate this, they are supplied with an educators’ guide. You can download the Ontario guide here and the Saskatchewan guide here.

The educators’ guide has 2 in-school pre-visit lessons where the teacher can introduce their students to the concepts delivered through the RV Experience.

The educators’ guide also has 2 in-school post-visit lessons where the teacher can help students consolidate their learning, by facilitating meaningful discussions including answering any questions they may have.

The RV accommodates up to 36 students and is wheelchair accessible.

Currently this program is only available in Ontario and Saskatchewan but we hope to expand to other provinces in the future.

For more information on availability or to book please email ctegelaar@madd.ca.

At this time, the program is only available in English.