VGCC and District Attorney Mike Waters team up to support safe driving
Vance-Granville Community College was recently approved by the Safety and Health Council of North Carolina to offer the “Alive at 25” defensive driving training program.
The initiative came about through a partnership with District Attorney Michael D. Waters of the Ninth Prosecutorial District , which consists of Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties. Bringing the Alive at 25 program to the district has been a priority for Waters since he took office in January.
“Alive at 25 can have a lasting impact on our community, educating young drivers and making our roads safer,” Waters said. “Vance-Granville Community College has done an excellent job in designing a quality program that is convenient and affordable. The District Attorney’s Office is proud to have VGCC as a partner in helping our young people.”
Alive at 25 is a highly interactive four-hour program that teaches young drivers how to take control of situations by taking responsibility for their own driving behavior. The course is specifically designed for young, inexperienced, and vulnerable drivers who are already getting traffic citations in their short driving careers.
Created by the National Safety Council, this driver intervention program targets drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 — the group most likely to be involved in fatal collisions.
Without this course, young traffic violators may simply pay fines and court costs, or plead their case for a reduction in district court. Such sanctions are important, and can be behavior-changing, but completion of Alive at 25 also involves the young driver’s investment of their time and focuses them on safe attitudes and behaviors when driving.
The course covers techniques to maintain control in driving situations, how to deal with peer pressure, recognizing risks, taking responsibility and making the right choices, traffic laws, life-saving seat belts, the dangers of cell phone use and the real consequences of driving while impaired.
Participants in the program must be recommended by one of the Assistant District Attorneys in the four-county area or their own defense attorney, and must complete the class by their second scheduled court date.
Over 10,000 teen drivers complete the Alive at 25 courses each year through participating community colleges and the Safety and Health Council of North Carolina .
“This new partnership represents our college’s commitment to supporting our community’s health, safety and quality of life,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC. “We must help our young people to be committed to practicing good driver safety so that they may live long and productive lives.”
The cost of the class is $60. VGCC plans to offer the class regularly at all four campuses: the Main Campus in Vance County, South Campus between Butner and Creedmoor, Franklin County Campus near Louisburg and Warren County Campus in Warrenton.
For more information, contact the VGCC Personal Enrichment department at (252) 738-3385 and ped@vgcc.edu .
