Lowry High School seniors experienced drunk and distracted driving Thursday and walked away with prison sentences, fines and citations. It was all part of Unite's Arrive Alive program which simulates those impairments.
Program crew members arrived early in the day to set up the Jeep equipped with various technology and equipment to show students what it's really like to drive drunk or distracted. Students were given a pair of glasses connected to a computer which was then programmed with a blood alcohol content (BAC) above the legal average or the students were told to use a cell phone and text while looking outside the frames.
Principal Debbie Watts said the program was appealing mainly because of the emphasis on texting and driving.
"Because we know that's out of control in our country as well as our state and probably our town, I thought it would be very appropriate," she said.
Although the Jeep was stationed on a plot of grass in front of the high school, drivers saw a city street through their lenses. The steering wheel, gas and brake pedals were all used like normal but reaction time was much slower due to the added element of simulated intoxication or actual distraction.
At the end of the simulation, students were handed a "ticket" notifying them of their violations, which included: speeding, swerving, driving below posted speed, driving on incorrect side of road, driving off the road, failing to stop, collision and vehicular manslaughter in addition to driving under the influence off alcohol or driving while distracted (texting).
The program was facilitated by Chris Bennett and Jake Azman with the Unite organization.
Watts said the school likes to give seniors a talk on safety right around prom and graduation each year. Unfortunately, the program couldn't be arranged before prom, but she was able to schedule it right in between the two. Approximately 200 students participated, she said, and the crew leaders complimented the students on their courteous and cooperative behavior.
"It was a wonderful compliment," Watts said.
According to Humboldt County School District Resource Officer Jeff Dawson, the students have been giving very positive feedback on the simulation. Dawson said when he first heard about the program, he thought it would be a good idea to have the students participate.
"Knowing what I know about kids and graduation and safety concerns... I thought it would be best," he said. "We try to hit the kids pretty hard with some driving safety stuff at the end of the year because we know that's a very dangerous time and also an exciting time."
Although the program comes with a pretty hefty price tag (approximately $2,500), the district was able to bring it to town thanks to sponsorship from the Frontier Community Coalition (FCC).
FCC Executive Director Jeffrey Munk said the coalition has an established relationship with Unite after hosting them in Battle Mountain three years ago and Lovelock last year. He said their national presence and reputation makes them a good fit for the schools.
"We use them because it's nationally recognized, very well known and highly recommended in the system of educating the students," Munk said.
Munk said the coalition funds the program through an Office of Traffic Safety Grant.
The Arrive Alive crew visited McDermitt on Friday as part of the tour before returning to their home state of Michigan.
Once the program is completed, information from surveys completed by the students after the simulation will be sent to the schools. The information can be used to give the district an idea of where students stand in their personal lives regarding texting and distracted driving. The data will come in the form of a statistical analysis.
Unite is a health and wellness organization that visits campuses all over the country from elementary school to college. Its programs are designed to heighten awareness to the dangers and consequences of drunk driving. The organization aims to impact entire campuses with a positive and lasting message.
[[In-content Ad]]
