Hamilton Career Center Students experience Arrive Alive Tour Simulator

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office recently partnered with the School District of Oconee County, Anderson-Oconee Behavioral Health and others with the Oconee County Coalition and the staff of the Arrive Alive Tour to bring a simulator to the Hamilton Career Center in the Bountyland Community, explains Public Information Officer Jimmy Watt. “The Simulator, which was an SUV that was connected to a computer simulator, was driven by students to simulate what a person behind the wheel would experience either driving under the influence of alcohol or texting while driving. The simulator has been taken to different locations around the country. The vehicle itself is not cranked but it does simulate real driving as the steering wheel and the accelerator and brake pedals do work. The driver puts on a pair of virtual reality glasses, which I wore, and when you put them on, you see everything you would normally see when you drive down a road or highway. The simulator was set as though I had drunk a couple of alcoholic beverages before I got behind the wheel. The faster I drove, the more difficult it was for me to maintain the vehicle in my lane of travel and I swerved into the other lanes of travel as well. I even missed a traffic light due to the difficulty I had with maintaining my vehicle in the roadway. I had to drive slowly in order to maintain my lane of travel, which also presented another traffic hazard along with the fact that I was driving under the influence.” Watt was given a fake traffic ticket and was cited for six traffic violations. The simulator from the Arrive Alive Tour gives those who participate an opportunity to experience the difficulty of driving a vehicle and performing the many different tasks of operating a motor vehicle while either under the influence of alcohol or while texting and driving. For more information, visit www.arrivealivetour.org.