A&M students tested on distracted driving

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – Young drivers are always nervous about getting their license — but now their parents, and law enforcement — are nervous about their driving habits.

The Bulldogs of Alabama A&M were in head-on collisions and hit-and-run accidents..

…virtually, that is. The ‘Arrive Alive’ tour put them at the wheel on a simulation road.

“We’re out at the school having people try out texting and driving, drinking and driving,” said Chris Bennett, a simulation technician for Unite, the organization behind the Arrive Alive tour.

Atudents and faculty were put to the test with two of the most deadly, and common, distractions.
Most students opted for the text-and-drive challenge.

“A lot of people don’t know that texting causes 4 times the accidents that drinking does now,” said Bennett.

“I know a lot of people do it but they don’t really think of the consequences until something happens,” said freshman Lyric Armon.

Glasses take drivers on a virtual road where distracted driving causes them to crash and get ticketed to learn the lesson.

“Apparently I was swerving, and driving off the road….and I had a vehicular manslaughter, along with a collision,” said Armon.

The drunk driving challenge allowed volunteers to experience the possible consequences before hurting themselves — or someone else — in real life.

“They put the glasses on you and it slows down your reaction to the condition,” said sophomore Charlie Langford.

Most students hit cars, trees, or other people — and say the experience is accurate, and frightening.

“People really get a good idea of how much of a distraction it is when they’re driving,” said Bennett.

The ‘Arrive Alive’ tour takes on multiple colleges during the fall season, and high schools during the spring, just in time for prom.