Teens in the Driver Seat

A peer-to-peer safe driving program for your school.

Follow us @teensdriverseat

Tabletop Simulator Activity

Best Time to Conduct:
Before/After School, During Lunch, or During Safety Event with Additional Safety Outreach		 Number of People:
2 students to set up and monitor
The Tabletop Simulator is available for schools, in limited areas, to borrow. The simulator offers multiple modules to complete, covering all risks a new driver will encounter. The user can set up a unique User ID and go through all modules, or use one User ID and focus on one risk. Contact your representative to request.

Set-Up:
Items Provided:

  • Monitor and speaker unit
  • Pedal attachment
  • Steering Wheel
  • CPU
  • Cords for all pieces
  • Containers with padding for all equipment

Set up tips:

  • You will need a table with an edge that will hold the steering wheel. The edge will need to have about 6″ of clearance to properly attach the wheel.
  • A chair will be needed for the user.
  • All cords are color-coded to the port they match with. Follow the set-up instructions included with the simulator and provided by the Regional Rep.
  • When selecting the modules, focus on one or two at a time, unless the user has enough time to go through several modules.
  • Once the system is set up, go through the modules to learn how the system reacts to the user’s motions and how the software prompts and reacts to the user.

 Facilitation:
  1. Invite your peers over to try driving the simulator. You probably won’t have to work that hard to get people wanting to try it because it’s a popular attraction.
  2. Clearly establish a time limit or rule, such as each person can drive for X minutes or until mistakes are made. A time limit will allow for more people to have a turn. We recommend approximately 5 minutes per person, but it can depend on the situation.
  3. The goal of this activity is to educate your peers about the risks of inexperienced driving, so try to include that educational component at the end.
    • You could combine the flashcards activity with the simulator, asking participants trivia questions after they complete their turn on the simulator.
  4. Also, consider how to engage the other teens watching and waiting for their turn. You can point out specifics while someone is driving, such as, “Did you see how they quickly moved out of the other driver’s blind spot? You are at more of a risk of a crash when you can’t be seen.”

Don’t Forget:
  • Make sure to test the program before inviting teens to participate, so you are familiar with how to get the program started and ensure that all the components (steering wheel, pedals, etc.) are working correctly. 
  • Adult supervision may be needed if teen participants are not respecting the time limit or are not being respectful of the equipment.
  • Coordinate with your Regional Rep to return the simulator to TDS upon completion of this activity. 
  • Submit an event/activity form so you can earn All-Stars credit.

Make it GREAT:
  • Utilize your TDS kit and resources, such as posters, yard signs, etc. to reinforce messaging. 
  • Take pictures and post them on social media. Make sure to tag us @teensdriverseat, so we can see all the great work you do!