Eagle Scout’s project: reducing distractions while behind the wheel

Salisbury High School sophomore Tre Smith runs the obstacle course with NCSHP Trooper Katherine Walsh. Smith will drive the course a second time while trying to send and recieve a text on his phone. The NC Highway Patrol was at the school on Wednesday for a demostration for drivers education students. Salisbury High freshman and Boy Scout Taylor Rodenhuis organized the event as part of his Eagle Scout project. photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

Salisbury High School freshman D'Shawn Jordan is handed his cellphone as a text message is recieved while driving a golf cart through and obstacle course. The NC Highway Patrol was at the school on Wednesday for a demostration for drivers education students. Salisbury High freshman and Boy Scout Taylor Rodenhuis organized the event as part of his Eagle Scout project. photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

Salisbury High School sophomore Emalee Young runs the obstacle course with NCSHP Trooper Katherine Walsh while trying to send and receive a text on her phone. The NC Highway Patrol was at the school on Wednesday for a demostration for drivers education students. Salisbury High freshman and Boy Scout Taylor Rodenhuis organized the event as part of his Eagle Scout project. photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

Salisbury High freshman and Boy Scout Taylor Rodenhuis listens to NCSHP Trooper Kevin Hennelly discuss the "Don't Text and drive" course. photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

Salisbury High School sophomore Tre Smith runs the obstacle course with NCSHP Trooper Katherine Walsh while trying to send and receive a text on his phone. The NC Highway Patrol was at the school on Wednesday for a demostration for drivers education students. Salisbury High freshman and Boy Scout Taylor Rodenhuis organized the event as part of his Eagle Scout project. photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

By Sarah Campbell

scampbell@salisburypost.com

Freshman Madeline Hoskins cruised through a parking lot at Salisbury High School on Wednesday, leaving fluorescent orange cones knocked over in her wake.

Her first spin through the curvy coned-lined course was a breeze, but the second time she had a distraction — she was texting.

Hoskins was one of more than two dozen driver’s education students participating in the “Don’t Text and Drive” program sponsored by the state Highway Patrol.

Freshman Taylor Rodenhuis organized the demonstration as part of his Eagle Scout project, spending about three months on the brainstorming, planning and implementation.

“It took a while to make all the phone calls and get everything lined up,” Rodenhuis said.

He spent his lunch period Wednesday asking his peers to pledge not to text and drive.

And, after school he gave a presentation about on the dangers of texting while driving.

Rodenhuis, 14, decided to focus his Eagle Scout project around the driving distraction after seeing repeated news reports.

“You hear a lot about crashes due to texting and driving, so I thought it would be appropriate, especially with people getting their permits and licenses,” he said.

Hoskins, 14, said after hearing the sounds of falling cones she’ll probably put her cell phone away while she’s behind the wheel.

“I definitely learned a lot,” she said. “It’s especially neat that a teenager took the time to do this.”

Sophomore Jasmine Brawley, 15, said she won’t take the demonstration for granted.

“I will never text and drive because that was pretty scary, I knocked over about 20 cones,” she said. “I am very appreciative I got to do this because not a lot of people get a chance to experience this.”

Sophomore Tre Smith said it was a lot harder to stay on track than he expected.

“Some places are fine to text, like at a stop light or in a parking lot, but when you are driving you don’t need to do it because anything can happen in a split second,” he said. “You could run into the back of somebody or hit somebody who is trying to cross the street.”

Trooper Kevin Hennelly said demonstrations have been done at about 50 high schools in 10 counties, reaching more than 9,000 students.

“It really is an eye-opener,” he said. “It’s neat to do a hands-on activity to show that you can’t do it, that’s why it’s against the law.”

Hennelly said Rodenhuis’ project is very timely considering the fact that “texting is a large cause of a lot of teen car accidents.”

Mark Lottes, assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 443, said this is the first time one of his Scouts has taken on texting and driving.

“We encourage them to do a service project that really requires their hands-on work,” he said. “Something that requires them to teach and lead.”

Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.