Youngsters take talking car's safety tips to heart BY LARRY HLAVENKA JR. Staff Writer SCOTT PILLING staff With the help of Otto the talking car, Sydney Cassone, a pupil at Ardena School, Howell, demonstrates the proper way to look before crossing the street. HOWELL - Not since the days of television's "Knight Rider" had those people at the Ardena School who are old enough to remember the show experienced the intrigue of a talking car. For the kindergartners in attendance, it was probably their first experience to hear a car speak. On Oct. 19, Kenneth Chrusz of the AAA Mid-Atlantic Foundation for Safety and Education brought Otto the Auto to the Ardena School for a visit during school bus safety month. Otto is a remote controlled robot car that has a certain "Wizard of Oz" quality to it. Chrusz speaks into a microphone and controls Otto's movements behind a door - out of the children's view - as they freely interact with the robot. Chrusz, a retired law enforcement officer, has been traveling with Otto to schools across the state for four years. "We are almost 100 percent funded by members of AAA," he said. "My job is to teach traffic safety education to everyone from prekindergarten [children] to senior citizens." Chrusz said that since the program can be modified to fit any school district, Otto is a hit wherever he goes. "We can modify the program any way," he explained. "If I go to another town without [school] busing, we concentrate on walking, or in Piscataway, they have railroad lines, so the teachers will ask me to talk about that." As Otto interacts with children, he spins, asks questions and cracks jokes. On his visit to the Ardena School, Otto schooled the youngsters on bus safety. He told them to put on their seat belts, to not put their arms out a window, to not throw garbage out a window and to use their eyes to cross roads. Otto is never at a loss for words, Chrusz said. Except once. "I saw this girl with this beautiful handmade sweater with a giant Tweety bird on the back," he said. "She said her great-grandmother made it for her. Otto asked if he could have one, too, and she said no. Otto asked why not and she said, 'she's dead.' That was the only time Otto was at a loss for words." Most of the time, though, Chrusz said things go well. "The first 15 seconds are key," he said. "You'll see the kids start back at the beginning, but up there with hugs and kisses at the end. My philosophy is that Otto is here to entertain the children and throw out safe messages. If one child puts his seat belt on because Otto said so, it's a success."