Who: Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni and members of his office

What: Stop the Swerve

When: Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.

Where: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 1000 Hall of Fame Ave., Springfield, MA

Background

The Hampden District Attorney’s Office is hosting its Stop the Swerve event, a free, interactive program offering an eye-opening experience for parents and students alike.

Participants will have the chance to try out impaired driving simulation goggles, experience distracted driving exercises and hear powerful stories from individuals affected by reckless driving. Law enforcement officials, safety advocates and local community leaders will be on hand to discuss the real-life consequences of driving under the influence and how to make responsible choices behind the wheel.

High school student attendees who are of eligible driving age are encouraged to enter a raffle to attend driving school for free, sponsored by the Hampden District Attorney’s Office.

As part of this initiative, the Stop the Swerve Public Service Announcement (PSA) and poster challenge invited Hampden County high school students to create their own PSA videos or posters on the dangers of impaired or distracted driving. Winning entries will be announced at the event, earning cash prizes for their schools.

Members of the media are invited to this event.

For media planning purposes: the first 45 minutes of the event will be dedicated to a speech from the District Attorney, a 10-minute video, and then a discussion from an ADA highlighting the tragic consequences of impaired or distracted driving. From there, students will move to center court for the activities portion of the evening, participating in driving simulators, field sobriety tests and more. Winners will be announced during this portion.