Wiregrass Georgia Technical College offers drunk driving simulator

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Wiregrass Georgia Technical College student Matt Passmore participates in a drunk driving simulation run by Dennis Lickert, road manager for Professionals Encouraging Education Reform Statewide, in the background. Paul Leavy
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College student Adrienne Hall attempts to stay on the line while wearing a pair of drunk goggles at a drunk driving prevention program at the Valdosta campus Thursday. Paul Leavy

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May 27, 2011

Sharah Denton The Valdosta Daily Times The Valdosta Daily Times Fri May 27, 2011, 10:00 AM EDT

VALDOSTA —

Students and teachers at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College received a real-life experience as they participated in the Professionals Encouraging Education Reform Statewide (PEERS) DUI simulator Thursday.

The Student Leadership Council assisted in gathering participants to view a short video which showed graphic details of an actual victim in the trauma area of an emergency room in relation to drunk driving.

Those participants then wore goggles that were designed to give them a visual of being drunk while trying to walk a straight line and catch a ball.

PEERS Road Manager Alex Hernandez said, “Drinking and driving is a big problem. It just takes one time, and it will change your life forever.”

Other participants sat in an actual car and wore goggles that showed a video game-like screen monitoring all of their motor skills as they had full control over the brake, gas and steering wheel.

A goggle device was attached to a computer which monitored the area in which the participant was hypothetically driving, while detecting their alcohol level and speed.

PEERS Road Manager Dennis Lickert said, “There (is) nothing funny about holding your best friend’s mother at his funeral. We are trying to raise awareness.”

Lickert added that he is passionate about spreading awareness due to the fact that he lost two best friends to drunk drivers.

The nonprofit organization has been around for about 10 years and has three teams that travel around the country to spread awareness about the dangers of drunk driving and, currently, texting and driving.

Criminal Justice major Adrienne Hall received a chance to participate in the simulator driving and texting.

“It was (difficult),” she said. “I was trying to elevate my speed and text at the same time. I would definitely recommend everyone to try the simulator. I did (not) know more people died texting and driving than drinking and driving.”

The PEERS organization added the texting and driving simulator this year and informed the participants how the rate of teens dying while texting and driving is growing rapidly over drinking and driving.

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