To honor Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Arrive Alive Tour is bringing their texting while driving simulator around the country. The students at Central High School were recently able to experience the dangers of texting and driving while in a controlled environment.
Texting While Driving Simulator
The purpose of the simulator is to bring awareness to the dangers of distracted driving and impaired driving. During the stop at Central High School, The Lufkin News stopped out to check out the simulator. Kent Tiedman, a facilitator for Arrive Alive Tour, said, “People think they can text and drive, and the kids tend to have a little of that overconfidence about them, so we’re trying to address that and the dangers of drinking and texting while driving.”
For the simulation, students get into a parked vehicle and put on virtual reality goggles. The texting and driving simulator has the participants “driving” and then being asked to bring out their own phone and send a text message. The impaired driving simulator has the participants “driving,” but then their senses are affected as the facilitators increase their blood alcohol content.
The texting while driving simulator is there to make students think. The goal is to get them to change their mind about texting and driving. Brent Barber, a junior at Central High School, said, “It was like a normal path, but once I started texting, it got harder and harder (to follow).” He received a “citation” for swerving, driving in the wrong lane and speeding.
Like in real life, you lose focus and control when you decide to text or drink and drive. Jose Barboza, a junior, said, “It just felt weird. You don’t have control over (the car). You push on the gas pedal, and you don’t think it’s going to go that fast.” Barboza received a citation for speeding, swerving, driving off the road and for collision.
The teachers even got involved at Central High School, as U.S. history teacher Stacy Fellers tried it out. She said, “It was really realistic, simulating a blood alcohol content of 0.4 percent. You think you’re in control, but you’re really not. I think it’s a really good experience for the kids to have.”
The Arrive Alive Tour brings their texting while driving simulator throughout the country all year long.