Greensburg Students Arrive Alive

May 2—GREENSBURG — The Arrive Alive Tour recently arrived at Greensburg Community High School to show young drivers how it might feel to be impaired by drugs or alcohol while at the wheel of a vehicle.

Thanks to a $2,750 grant, SRO Brendan Bridges arranged for a team from "Arrive Alive" to visit the GCHS campus to teach kids about the dangers of operating a motor vehicle under the influence or while texting and driving.

Participants get into an actual vehicle (with the battery disabled and the car immobilized) after selecting a specific impairment (drunk, texting, or impaired by drugs) and put on a virtual reality headset. Sensors are connected to the vehicles gas and brake pedals and the steering-wheel.

While reacting to the simulation using the wheel, acceleration and brake pedals of the vehicle, students react to driving virtually through city streets and country roads.

The computer calculates the driver's reactions in response to being impaired by marijuana and alcohol, or driving while texting. The life-like movie of the test simulates crashes, broken windshields, and even what happens in a situation of vehicular manslaughter.

Upon exiting the vehicle, each participant is handed a mock citation detailing the ramifications of their simulation, as explained by a facilitator. An external LED monitor is set-up near the vehicle, showing what the driver is experiencing in their simulation in real time.

This survey gauges participants knowledge and experience in relation to drugged driving before and after they use the simulator.

And the simulator course is not easy.

"It's weird to see how you might think it wouldn't affect your driving, but the simulator shows you how you perceive the road while under the influence," said GCHS senior Ella Lowe.

"It's definitely a real feel while you're driving. I know when you talk about being drunk and feeling foggy, but it's weird to not feel foggy but still experience what drunk driving really is, said GCHS senior Kylie Hostetler.

Founded by UNITE, a not-for-profit health and wellness organization, Arrive Alive visits elementary and college campuses with programs designed to heighten awareness to the dangers and consequences of drunk driving, distracted driving and texting while driving.

To learn more about Arrive Alive, visit arrivealivetour.com/about/.

Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-651-0876 or email bill.rethlake@greensburgdailynews.com