Distracted Driving Program Makes Stop At Lamar Port Arthur

The distracted driving program from the Arrive Alive Tour shows participants the dangers of texting while driving. However, it also shows participants that distracted driving can be much more dangerous than drunk driving. That is what the students at Lamar State College Port Arthur recently learned.

Distracted driving program - Arrive Alive Tour - Lamar State College - Port Arthur

Drunk Driving vs. Distracted Driving

When it comes to fatalities, drunk driving still remains the leader of the pack. In 2016, there were 10,497 deaths from alcohol-impaired crashes. This compares to the 3,450 people killed because of distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. You can add in the 330,000 people that were injured in accidents caused by texting and driving. The numbers are there and as more and more people are using their cell phones, those numbers could be rising without these programs.

Distracted Driving Program

The Arrive Alive Tour stopped at Lamar State College Port Arthur recently. The distracted driving program was brought to campus to help raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. During the stop, students sat behind the wheel of a full-size Jeep Patriot. The participants would put on a virtual reality headset and the simulation would begin. They are put to the test of “driving” through simulations, as the wheels, gas and brakes are all put on bluetooth sensors. Mike Grodi, a safety ambassador for the Arrive Alive Tour, said“Kids realize a lot of the dangers of driving impaired through this. They could be the best drivers in the world, but all it takes is alcohol in the system to impair their ability.”

It Only Takes Seconds

When it comes to texting and driving, people don’t realize how long they are looking away from the road. If you send a “quick text” to your friend, that can take about 5 seconds. During that same timeframe, you could have traveled the length of a football field while driving 55 mph. Crazy, huh?