As part of our commitment to road safety, helps present several initiatives in schools across Manitoba.
Programs
Friends for Life: The Friends for Life speaker series is an ongoing annual initiative of MPI, Teens Against Destructive Decisions (TADD) and the Manitoba School Boards Association. The program aims to educate high school students through programming focused on the risks associated with dangerous driving decisions.
This program attempts to influence a traditionally hard to reach target demographic, high school youth, with compelling personal peer-to-peer stories about the risks and consequences of impaired driving and other illegal or dangerous driving behaviours. The speakers have consistently been well-received by students and educators. Evaluation survey results indicate the presentations help students understand the importance of making responsible choices related to safe driving behaviours.
Friends for Life debuted over 10 years ago and has occurred every year since in Winnipeg and across the province.
Halloween Pedestrian Safety Promotion: MPI distributes high-visibility safety items to elementary schools each October to help ensure a safe Halloween. For more than a decade, MPI has provided a Halloween safety item (such as a trick-or-treat bag or safety flasher) to elementary students across Manitoba. Each item features a “be safe, be seen” message along with a reflective element to promote visibility for drivers.
Children and youth presentations: Programming includes the Cycle Safely Bike Rodeos for ages 6-10, I Cycle Safely for ages 3-9 and Bike Safe for tweens and teens. See more information.
Driver Z: MPI coordinates and subsidizes the driver education program for high school students. See more information.
More information
School administrators are encouraged to use the Contact Community Relations form to seek more information on programming opportunities at your school.
Support
MPI also supports a number of programs and partnerships offering safety resources and services for schools. These include:
CAA School Safety Patrols: Patrols help protect young children as they walk to and from elementary schools across the province.
Teens Against Destructive Decisions (TADD): TADD is a volunteer association of Manitoba high school teens that encourages students to drive safely by sponsoring school events that raise awareness of road safety issues, such as distracted and impaired driving. In partnership with Manitoba School Boards Association, MPI provides impaired and distracted driving presentations at schools.
Safe Grad: Safe Grad promotes safe driving behaviours to high school students. MPI partners with the Manitoba School Boards Association to provide support.
P.A.R.T.Y.: The Prevent Alcohol Related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) program supported by MPI, and presented by the Manitoba Brian Injury Association, takes high school students inside emergency rooms to see first-hand the consequences of risky driving behaviours.
MADD: MPI is the provincial sponsor of MADD’s multi-media presentations to junior and senior high schools across the province. The presentations, which are seen by more than 20,000 students each year, challenge false perceptions about drugs, alcohol and driving.