Arrive Alive Tour Comes to Springfield, Missouri

Springfield Missouri car accident lawyers were pleased to see the national Arrive Alive Tour in our own city of Springfield last week. The Springfield, Missouri Police Department, Greene County Sherriff and the Central Bible College partnered together to bring the tour to Greene County. The Arrive Alive Tour was held at Central Bible College’s main campus on Wednesday September 21, 2011.

Arrive Alive Tour in Springfield, Missouri
The Arrive Alive Tour is a national tour that travels across the country to demonstrate the dangers of driving while distracted and also driving while intoxicated. Each year Arrive Alive focuses on the major issues causing car accidents in the United States. Distracted driving continues to be a major problem. So this year the tour is about showing the dangers of driving while texting.

The Tour allows people to get into a vehicle with a simulator. Discs are placed under the wheels of a real car so the driver gets a true experience of riding and turning on the road. Sensors are connected to the steering wheel, brakes, and gas pedal of the car to allow the driver to steer and accelerate and brake as if they are actually driving while the sensors interact with the computer that runs the simulation. The driver wears a 180 degree virtual reality headset so they are totally immersed into the driving experience, including images showing the windows and the rear-view mirror.

While driving in the simulator, the driver receives a text message and attempts to read and answer the text. The driver gets to see what can happen in real time, from driving off the road or crashing into another vehicle to running over a pedestrian. The simulation is made even more real by the issuance of citations to the driver after they exit the vehicle. Law enforcement officers are on hand to explain the legal ramifications of what the driver just experienced, including court costs, lawyer fees, jail time, insurance issues and injury results.

The Arrive Alive Tour also includes press releases, posters, and a pledge station to allow participants to sign a pledge that they will not text and drive. A program host discusses the dangers of texting and other forms or distracted driving while a video display allows observers to see what the driver sees from the passenger’s point of view. Another video station shows the realities and dangers of drunk driving and driving while distracted.

Education pamphlets and sign-up sheets for more information or continuing education are also on hand. The pamphlets include all the dangers of driving while texting, distracted driving, drinking and driving, binge drinking and drugs.

Texting While Driving Facts
Per the National Safety Council, more than 5,000 deaths per year are caused by texting and driving. And it is also important to note that more car accidents are caused each year by texting while driving then by drunk drivers.

Texting while driving is very dangerous. Drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of five seconds when they are texting. At speeds as low as 35 mph someone texting while driving will travel 25 feet before stopping. The same studies show a drunk driver will stop in 4 feet.

In that same 5 seconds on the highway someone texting while driving will travel over 400 feet with their eyes off of the road. That is like driving more than the entire length of a football field with your eyes closed.

Current Missouri law prohibits texting and driving for drivers under the age of 21. If you have been involved in a car accident with a distracted driver you may have a personal injury case. Contact the Springfield Missouri car accident lawyers.