MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — It’s never too early to start developing safe driving habits. That’s why elementary schoolers at St. Ignatius Catholic School got a special presentation featuring Millie the Work Zone Safety Dog.
Throughout the visit, students were prompted to yell, “No phones in the cone zone!”
That’s a phrase that hopefully sticks with them for a lifetime. Third through fifth graders spent some time outside of class on Friday to learn about road safety and the dangers of distracted driving with Millie and her handler Morris King.
We’ve introduced you to Millie before. We’ve told you about her work as a therapy dog at USA Health. She also visited News 5 in the spring during Work Zone Safety Awareness Week. Now, she’s helping future drivers remember the importance of non-distracted driving.
“It’s caught on statewide. She’s been on the cover of national magazines, state magazines,” said King.
Together, King and Millie have been raising awareness about work zone safety for about four years. Their goal is to empower young people to call out their parents, or any driver, when they catch them texting at the wheel.
“We’re using Millie to get this message out about not texting and driving,“ said King. “If I was sitting here talking about it to these children, it would not have the same impact as with Millie.”
An interactive presentation, where some students acted as road workers and others as drivers, helped the message stick. Some students shared with us what they learned.
“Texting when you’re driving, you can get in a big wreck and you can get really hurt,” said student John Manas.
“Don’t drive with phones because there might be some workers and you might run into them,” said student Mary Catherine Greer.
After hearing many lifesaving lessons, students lined up to meet Millie and give her a pet. By the time they’re licensed drivers, hopefully, they’ll remember what it takes to make the roads a bit safer.
