Hundreds of Island high school students will be celebrating graduation over the coming days and they’re being encouraged to be safe and arrive alive, says Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Ron MacKinley.
“On occasions like graduation, students should be extra cautious and take steps to ensure they have a safe ride home, either with parents, or with a sober driver,” said Minister MacKinley. “There’s no sense taking any chances, so we’re encouraging students to plan ahead, and celebrate safely.”
Alex Poole is a safety educator with the Department. In 1976, he was critically injured after losing control of his vehicle at high speed. He was heavily impaired at the time and lost the use of his legs. Over the last few weeks, Mr. Poole has been visiting local high schools delivering his message about the dangers of impaired driving as students prepare for graduation festivities.
“My hope is that my message will help avoid future tragedies by giving students real-world examples of the dangers of impaired driving,” said Mr. Poole. “Once they see me in a wheelchair, and hear about the struggles I’ve had to endure, I’m hopeful they’ll make arrangements ahead of time to get home safely.”
So far this year, Mr. Poole has delivered hard-hitting presentations to Charlottetown Rural and Montague High School students. If school officials are interested in having Mr. Poole make a presentation to students, they can contact the Department’s Highway Safety Division at (902) 368-5219.