Photo Form Facebook/YIELD Association

By Chris Brown

YIELD group coming to Medicine Hat Drag Strip to educate on driving dangers

Jun 8, 2023 | 9:23 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – First responders and volunteers will put the pedal to the metal on education during an upcoming night at the Medicine Hat Drag Strip.

Youth Initiatives & Education in Lifestyles & Driving Association (YIELD) is a group that focuses on traffic safety issues with youth, striving to make roadways safer. The group will appear at the Friday Night Street Legals at the drag strip on June 16.

People are invited to test the state-of-the-art driving simulator which realistically shows the hazards of high risk driving including speed, braking and distracted driving to show how fast things can happen in real time.

YIELD president Gord Buck, a retired RCMP constable, says they draw attention and engage the community with the vehicles they bring.

“We are bringing two cars, a 2000 Camaro and a 1989 Mustang, all decaled up as RCMP patrol cars, both were used back in the day as highway patrol cars,” he says.

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Some of those involved have experience as professional car racers and their personal knowledge and experience help them to connect with youth and community members through displays, race cars, trailers and simulators by showing the tragic results of impaired and distracted driving while giving them the opportunity to become part of the solution.

Road crashes are the third-leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24 in Canada, says Parachute, a national charity focused on injury prevention. As well, drivers who text while driving are up to six times more likely to be involved in a crash.

Races start at 7 p.m., gates open two hours earlier for spectators. Admission is $10 cash at the gate, kids under 12 are free.