It’s an assignment issued regularly to Georgian College’s police foundations students, but it’s hitting close to home for Puneet Gill, Adam Latimer and Jesse Nobleman.
The students have joined forces to create Project Think First in an effort to bring attention to, and deter people from taking part in, the “big four” — aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving and not wearing a seatbelt.
They could have chosen one of the four, but decided to include all of them.
“It’s just to reach as many people as we can and educate the community as to why the big four is a problem,” said Nobleman. “We want to make sure they understand the severity of the big four and that they don’t take part in it.”
All three students have reasons for wanting to spread that message.
Nobleman knows people close to him who have made “bad decisions” while driving.
A friend of Gill’s was hit by an impaired driver who decided to get into his vehicle the same day he was released from custody for a similar offence.
The students aren’t only pointing the fingers at others, though; they’re also acknowledging their own risky behaviour on the road.
“Since we started this project, I’ve caught myself speeding and I’ve moved into the slow lane and watched my speed,” Gill said.
“I was an aggressive driver before I started this project,” added Latimer, “so I’ve been paying more attention to it.”
The main goal is to get the message across to younger drivers, so the students have created Instagram and Twitter accounts. They are also planning to start a Facebook page and create a website. They have used their own money to have flyers, posters, stickers and T-shirts created.
“We’re genuinely passionate about this and we feel the money is worth it,” Nobleman said. “The goal is to get this message spread throughout Ontario, Canada and the world, but right now we want to connect with the school and the Orillia community.”
They’ve done their research as part of the assignment, which included interviews with police officers who have responded to incidents involving the big four. Those first-hand accounts have only motivated them further.
It’s one thing for police officers and older adults to preach the message of safety, but the three 19-year-old students feel people their age have a role to play when it comes to raising awareness.
“We’re aiming to make it an ‘uncool’ thing,” Nobleman said. “We know what people our age are drawn into and we can approach it differently. They might actually think twice — or think first.”
Although not required, the students plan to continue with Project Think First after they present the assignment to their class next week.
