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Kansas State University
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Manhattan, KS 66506
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Source: Renee Slick, assistant professor of psychology

RADIO REPORT: The STAR Lab at Kansas State University combines technology with psychology to help teens become safe drivers

1 Wrap
2 Actualities

You have selected a report on how research at Kansas State University is helping teenagers become safer drivers through the use of driving simulators. The wrap and two sound bites follow in 3,2,1. . .

WRAP 1: Kansas State University's STAR Lab researches ways teens can become safer drivers through the use of driving simulators.

TIME: :57

SUGGESTED INTRO: Over eight thousand teenagers are killed each year in automobile accidents -- and it’s the number one cause of teen deaths. A Kansas State University professor explains how she’s combining the technology of driving simulators with psychology to teach teens how to avoid dangerous driving situations. Lanice Thomson reports.

HELPING TEENS BECOME SAFE DRIVERS IS THE GOAL BEHIND THE STAR LAB AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY. SPONSORED BY AN ORGANIZATION CALLED "DRIVE SAFETY," THE LAB’S GOAL IS TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SIMULATORS ON TEEN DRIVERS. ASSISTANT PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR RENEE SLICK IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LAB, AND SHE SAYS PUTTING TEENS IN SIMULATORS MAKES SENSE WHEN TEACHING THEM HOW TO DRIVE. . .

"Slick :21 "We can put them in very dangerous situations, but realistic situations that you cannot practice behind the wheel of a real car for obvious reasons, but we can let them experience what it feels like and what potential outcomes would be in a simulator. It’s very compelling because it’s happening to them versus telling them this could happen, they actually get to see it and experience it."

THE STAR LAB AT K-STATE IS THE ONLY LAB IN THE COUNTRY THAT FOCUSES ON STUDYING TEENS AND DRIVING SIMULATORS. LANICE THOMSON, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY.

ACTUALITY 1: A K-State researcher is taking a psychological approach into helping teens become safe drivers.

TIME :40

Researchers at the STAR Lab, or Simulation, Training and Assessment Research Lab at K-State are hoping to lower the number of teen driving deaths by studying ways simulators can help augment traditional driver’s education courses. The lab is sponsored by Drive Safety, an organization that creates and researches the effects of driving simulators. Dr. Renee Slick, assistant professor of psychology at K-State and director of STAR says that we must look at teen driving as a health issue – something that most of us do not normally do. The sound bite is 28 seconds and the outcue is ". . . educating these kids."

(Slick :26 "If it were heart disease that were the leading cause of death, or cancer that were the leading cause of death then we’d understand it as a health issue. But somehow we’ve got to help people make that connection – that driving is a national health issue for our nation’s youth. It is the leading cause of death and so we’ve got to take a more systemic approach and not just think that a one-shot driver’s education course is going to do the trick in terms of educating these kids."

ACTUALITY 2: The STAR Lab is unique when comparing to driving labs around the country

TIME: :21

Dr. Slick explains how the STAR lab at K-State differs from other driving labs around the country. This sound bite is 21 seconds and the outcue is ". . . that kids receive."

(Slick : 21 "We’re the only lab in the country that focuses exclusively on studying teens using simulation and the focus is to study teen drivers and the benefits of using advanced driving simulators to provide training that augments traditional drivers education that kids receive."

Dr. Slick and her team are currently working with students in the Manhattan-Ogden school district and have also begun training with a school district in Utah. She says they are now creating scenarios to train other high school students.