Glendale is an infamous city for its reckless driving — number five on Allstate’s 2012 list of 25 worst driving cities — which directly correlates to distracted driving. The repercussions of distracted driving range from being pulled over and being issued a ticket, to fatal incidents such as an 80-year-old Glendale man named Misak Ranjbar being killed in 2010.

But to hear about texting and driving firsthand is an entirely different thing. Having someone talking in person would have a much more meaningful impact than seeing a two-minute segment on the news about it.

Rather than just hearing a segment on the eleven o’clock news about texting and driving, freshmen health classes will hear a speaker named Ani Voskanian Feb. 6 and Feb. 7 to educate them on the dangers distracted driving. According to counselor Karine Turdjian, four years ago, Voskanian was charged with texting and driving after hitting an 80-year-old man named Misak Ranjbar, who died instantly. Voskanian was released from the charges and then charged with texting and driving three months later because she was texting 75 seconds before she hit Ranjbar.

Voskanian is now a college student studying to be a pharmacist, and because she is on probation, she goes to local schools to educate students on the dangers of texting and driving. On Feb. 18, seniors will have the opportunity during the senior assembly to see her presentation that includes pictures and articles from her experience.