Local driving instructor educates teens about road safety after DUI crashes

An Omaha driving instructor calls what happened at 114th and West Center “inexcusable.”

“It’s unimaginable that somebody would be driving drunk, traveling at the speed of 98 miles an hour and caused this unimaginable accident to happen,” Pat Venditte said.

Venditte teaches driver education to students in the Omaha area. Thursday, one week after the crash that claimed the lives of two children, Venditte took it upon himself to remind new drivers about the responsibilities that come with getting behind the wheel.

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He talked about the importance of wearing a seatbelt and always following safe driving techniques every time you start the car.

“Maybe this will send a clear message that the roads are dangerous, and they’ve got to devote their driving attention to 100% of the challengers on the road today,” Venditte said.

Omaha police said the crash at 114th and West Center occurred while a red Subaru was attempting to turn right and a black Chevy collided with it, going almost 100 mph. Venditte modified Thursday’s curriculum to focus on intersections and how to stay safe at them.

“We want to make sure that they know who has the right of way at those intersections and even when they have the right of way, it doesn’t mean that the way is clear,” Venditte said.

He also taught his students about the need to limit distractions and focus solely on the driving.

“We don’t want to let the cognitive wander, and it’s so easy in today’s workaday world. In today’s rush, rush world, it seems like the brain is just inundated,” Venditte said. “When they get behind the wheel of the car, they’ve got to remember it’s 100% total concentration on the driving task.”

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