Simulator reminds students of the danger of drunk driving

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A drunk driving simulator on the lawn in front of  the Bovee University Center Thursday gave students a taste of what it’s like for drunk drivers behind the wheel.

Running the simulator was Eli Scheele of PEER Awareness, a company that tours the country to educate students about making healthy decisions.

“It’s just like a real car,” Scheele said. “At .08 (blood alcohol content), the legal limit, it’s very difficult to control.”

Scheele said most people that get behind the wheel of the simulator end up crashing.

Users get behind the wheel of a real car and put on virtual reality goggles. Scheele then enters their age, gender, body size and how many drinks the user had.

Junior James Bell was one of the first to use the simulator. His virtual blood alcohol content (BAC) was .20.

“Drinking and driving is not a game,” Bell said. “I couldn’t see a thing. I couldn’t tell what speed I was going. I was on the wrong side of the road. I eventually ran off the road.”

The simulator changes how fast the car reacts to the user and can apply effects such as tunnel vision.

Michelle Veith, assistant director of Residence Life, said they brought the simulator back because of positive feedback from last year. She said students walk away saying they never realized just how difficult it is to control a car while intoxicated.

“Fall brings a lot of activities,” Veith said. “This is another reminder.”

Veith said she cannot be sure if the simulator stops students from driving drunk, but she thinks it at least makes them re-think doing so.

Public Information Officer Jeff Browne of the Mount Pleasant Police Department agreed the simulator is just a reminder and drunk driving is still an issue.

Browne said if the simulator prevents one or two crashes, they have done a good job.

“During the school year, the town’s population doubles,” Browne said. “We step up our enforcement, but it’s a year-round problem.”