By Matt Wiley
Hundreds of Wesley Chapel High (WCH) students crowd around a bright yellow Chevrolet Camaro and jump with surprise as the engine roars to life. But, this is no ordinary Camaro. It is the #15 NASCAR vehicle of Scott Lagasse, Jr. that minutes later will be squealing up a cloud of smoke for onlookers.
Part of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)’s “Alert Today Alive Tomorrow” (ATAT) pedestrian safety program, the 34-year-old St. Augustine, FL-native and professional race car driver was on-hand at WCH on September 15 for a presentation that covered some basic, but often overlooked rules of the road. Lagasse has been a regular racer in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series since 2005, with five top-10 finishes. His sponsors include Pinch-A-Penny and the Boy Scouts of America.
Just a few hours after a Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) student was struck while riding a bicycle (see pg. 8), Lagasse took a seat on the stage in the WCH auditorium off Wells Rd. to talk to students about bicycle and pedestrian safety.
The presentation began with school safety specialist Gary Tait going through a slideshow with students, detailing traffic safety misconceptions. According to FDOT statistics, 27 percent of all traffic fatalities in the state involve bicyclists and pedestrians.
“A lot of pedestrians have this attitude that cars are looking out for them, so they don’t have to pay attention,” Tait told the crowd. “I’m going to tell you right now, there’s no one in the world looking out for your safety. It’s totally up to you.”
Tait reminded students that some of the rules of the road are grossly misinterpreted and ignored, including Florida’s laws about passing bicycles with at least three feet of space, following vehicle road signs when riding a bike and right turns at red stoplights.
“Can you (just) turn right on red?,” Tait asked the crowd to a roaring affirmative. “Wrong! It’s right on red after a complete stop!”
He continued by walking students through how to properly traverse an intersection on foot, encouraging them to make sure they press the correct pedestrian crosswalk button, observe traffic approaching from all directions and pay attention to those who may be breaking the right-on-red law by rolling through a crosswalk.
“The traffic you see isn’t the traffic that’s going to be there,” Tait said. “It’s always changing.”
Another rule often overlooked, he said, is that pedestrians are required to walk facing traffic when there is no sidewalk or path so that they can see what’s coming towards them.
Tait then introduced Lagasse, who came out and sat on the stage’s steps.
“Tell me the truth, the only reason you’re really clapping is because you got out of class,” Lagasse joked, but then explained that he’d brought his race car along if anyone wanted to see it, unsure of the direction in which he had parked it.
“I typically only turn left, so directions are hard for me,” he said, laughing, before getting down to some serious points about bicycle and pedestrian safety.
“My hope is that you’ve taken some of Gary’s presentation with you,” Lagasse said. ”Next time you’re driving or next time a friend is driving, do me a favor and take it seriously. Think about the consequences.”
Lagasse told a story about how he and his father were supposed to go cycling one afternoon, but Lagasse forgot his helmet and didn’t take part. His father went without him and ended up crashing into a ditch, resulting in numerous broken bones and a twice-collapsed lung.
“I drive 120 miles per hour, hit a wall and don’t feel anything,” Lagasse explained. “But, we ride bikes at 20 (mph) and look at what can happen.”
Lagasse encouraged students to put lights on their bicycles to help alert distracted drivers, especially those who may be texting and driving.
“This (light) helps people see me a mile or half-mile away,” he said.
Following the presentation, Lagasse invited everyone out front to check out his impressive wheels.
NASCAR lover Jacob Lehman, 17, watched as Lagasse climbed in the window of the Camaro. Lehman said he enjoyed the presentation.
“I’ve practiced bicycle safety laws for a while now, so most of (the presentation) was stuff I already knew,” Lehman said. “But, it’s important information to hear.”
Lagasse said that he really hoped that the students would take his warnings about distracted driving seriously.
“Unfortunately the state of Florida is one of the worst for bicycle and pedestrian fatalities,” Lagasse said. “It’s tough to see things come out — like the young man that was hit today — but you hope something good comes out of talking to the kids here. Hopefully we’ll save lives.”
For more information, please visit AlertTodayFlorida.com.
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