Simulation Program Teaches Teens About Drunk and Distracted Driving

A new simulation program is teaching young drivers about the risks of drunk and distracted driving. The program is designed to demonstrate what can happen if they have an accident while they are driving under the influence or texting while driving.

One Simple Decision, made by Virtual Driver Interactive (VDI), combines simulated driving with video footage of interactions with law enforcement, judges and emergency medical personnel, USA Today reports.

The Ohio Department of Transportation bought four VDI simulators, at a cost of $42,000. It uses them at schools, football games and county fairs, the article notes. “We recognized that there is an issue, especially among young drivers, with paying attention to the road,” spokeswoman Melissa Ayers told the newspaper. “We started using it last year. We’ve gotten really good feedback. The kids realize after they’ve used it, ‘I really can’t do two things at once (while driving).’”

A government report issued in December found an estimated 31 percent of driving deaths were linked to alcohol in 2010, compared with nine percent of deaths caused by distracted driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s report found that overall, highway deaths fell last year to the lowest level in six decades, even though Americans are driving more.