Mario Kart Helps Kids Not Text While Driving

A school in Eagle County, Colorado is trying to teach students the dangers of sending text messages while driving - via Mario Kart Wii.

Ever try to text and drive at the same time? Hopefully no, you haven't, because you're not an idiot. But if you ever have, you'd know it's very, very difficult, and can cause more car crashes among young drivers than even the oft-blamed driving-while-on-the-phone. So in order to attempt to teach would-be drivers how very dangerous it can be, Vail Christian High School opted for a similar - but much less potentially lethal - experience: Mario Kart Wii.

Well, okay, in real life the drivers won't have to deal with avoiding green shells and banana peels, let alone dodging Thwomps, but the concept is the same. So far, it seems to be working: "I ran into a lot of things and it was very stressful," said 13-year-old Alli O'Brien. "I don't think I'll text."

Vail Christian High School is one of twenty schools around the United States partaking in a contest sponsored by National Youth Traffic Safety Month, where the school with the winning program will be awarded $10,000.

Let's just hope that the course doesn't inadvertently teach some less positive things. Remember, kids, in real life there's no such thing as a Starman.

(GamePolitics, via Joystiq)