DUI Simulator Teaches Drunk Driving Consequences
A nationwide campaign to stop drunk driving made a stop here in the desert southwest. On Tuesday the Save a Life Tour held a presentation at the Yuma Proving Grounds to show the public a realistic view of DUI consequences.
The first part of the presentation included a graphic video featuring images of deadly DUI accidents. The second part involved a driving simulator. Organizer Brian Beldyga programmed the the high-tech system to mimic alcohol impairment.
“We put those reaction time delays in the simulator but then what you get to see is very natural in the human mind is something called tunnel vision and muli-tasking skills lost,” says Beldyga. Volunteers took a stab at the simulator as Beldyga entered different levels of impairment.
In essence the volunteers are driving sober, but the car is driving drunk.
“When you’re in the simulator you can see how your brain focuses on one major problem at a time, and there’s no alcohol involved. If this problem is going to happen sober when you’re worried about doing something wrong, guess what’s going to happen in the real world.”
Many volunteers earned a DUI citation after swerving or crashing into other vehicles. Beldyga hopes this driving demo is a wake up call.
“Too many people are dying. I mean, this is America’s number one most violent committed crime. This is where people get hurt in this country.”
According to the Save a Life Tour, two out of every five people will be involved in a drunk driving accident. Another statistic says about every half hour, a person is killed in a DUI crash.
Source : http://www.kswt.com/global/story.asp?s=10350812