Youth Rescue Initiative's St. Bernard office educates Chalmette High School students with DUI Simulator.
The Youth Rescue Initiative’s St. Bernard office recently held a seminar about the dangers of driving while intoxicated at Chalmette High School. Students, ranging in ages from 13 – 18 (approximately 1300 students total) participated in a DUI Simulator. The purpose of the driving simulators is to educate young drivers about the risk of driving while impaired. The DUI driving simulator is a significant educational and accident prevention device.
The goal in bringing the DUI Simulator to the Chalmette High School was to provide the students with the knowledge that driving while impaired has the potential to affect them in everything they do, whether at home, work , school, participating in athletic events, or out in the community. The Youth Rescue Initiative provided the students with the education that impairment can lead to tragic and deadly consequences.
With Chalmette’s high school Prom and Graduation quickly approaching, the Youth Rescue Initiative wanted to be proactive in reminding students of the risk involved with drinking and driving and how quickly the decision to do so can change lives in a split second. The DUI Simulator allowed the student to experience the potentially deadly consequences of being impaired, while they were sober. The simulator replicated reduced alertness, decreased reaction time, and problems with depth perception and coordination. The students also learned firsthand how alcohol and/or drug abuse leads to poor judgment and decision making.
The simulator had realistic visual imagery and driving situations. The simulated vehicle behavior was based on the expected Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level. The BAC level was computed using a scientifically accepted formula based on gender, age, body type, number of drinks and consumption time. There was a simulation of "tunnel vision" effect at high BAC levels and challenging driving situations that emphasized quick maneuvering in order to avoid a collision. At other times, the driver wore “drunk goggles”, which are goggles used to simulate a first person point of view of someone who is intoxicated.
The Youth Rescue Initiative is proud to have sponsored the DUI Simulator at Chalmette High School. The education the youth received through this seminar is invaluable and life-saving.
