Students Simulate Drunk Driving

Manasa Dendukuri and Callie High| March 31, 2017

Photo by Akash Thakkar
Officer Williby talks to students about the dangers of driving under the influence.

Police officers, worried about the safety of students over Prom weekend, put students through a drunk driving simulation in the parking lot on March 31. While wearing goggles that simulated a drunk person’s vision, they drove through an obstacle course of traffic cones in a golf cart.

“The purpose of this activity is to see how drunk driving really feels like,” Macarieah Aekins ‘17 said. “It was really intense, scary and nerve-wracking, because you don’t want to hit anyone.”

With prom coming up, the officers wanted to spread awareness on the consequences of driving drunk.

“We are trying to get you guys to make good decisions. When you are confronted with being at a party, we are trying to get you guys to make good decisions by calling someone, calling your mom, your friends,” Officer Jim Williby said.

Photo by Akash Thakkar
A student crushes a cone while attempting to navigate the obstacle course while wearing drunk goggles.

During the activity, the officers had the students drive as fast as they usually would while wearing the goggles. They also had them avoid hitting cones, which represented people. Officer Williby talked about the jail time and the consequences of drunk driving.

“It was pretty disorienting, it really challenged my conception of what it means to drive drunk and if anything I was better at it than I thought,” Baxter Gonzalez ‘18 said.

Photo by Akash Thakkar
Bob Gunderson ’17 attempts a sobriety test in which he attempts to walk a straight line while wearing drunk goggles that impair his vision.

Once the students were done driving, they went to another area where they got to take the sobriety test — walking heel to toe in a straight line and balancing on one foot for seven seconds.
“It was wild. I had to look down at my feet, but my feet were [over] there even though I knew I was over here,” Elizabeth McGrew ‘18 said.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need a safe ride, please call someone. No friend or family member available? Try one of these: