And it's not just about putting down the cell phone.
The hustle and bustle of school quickly silenced Tuesday as a class of new or soon-to-be drivers at North Penn High School got a lesson in what can go wrong behind the wheel, a lesson delivered by local law enforcement officers who have seen it firsthand.
"Understand that they aren't invincible," said Pennsylvania State Trooper Morgan Crummy. "No one is."
"There are so many distractions," said junior Samantha Stoler. "Outside, inside the car, your friends, your cell phone, these birds over there…."
But it's not just the distractions like the cell phone and the radio that law enforcement want students to think about.
It's being totally aware of the consequences of what can happen when they get behind this wheel.
"Be aware that the things you're doing inside your car could get you prison time," one trooper told the students.
"It hits you really hard," said junior George Keating. "You can really hurt someone."
"It's not just getting in trouble," said Stoler. "You can actually hurt somebody or kill someone."
It's a message these students say will change how they act in their own cars and their friends' cars, too.
"I'm definitely going to be more careful and pay attention to everything," said Stoler.
"I think I'll be a lot more careful when I start driving," said junior Karen Simtoco.
"It's tough, but it's something you've got to learn," said Keating. "You have to."
