According to the CDC, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver every day. That is one death every 50 minutes. Those are scary statistics and even though we have been taught to not drink and drive, people still do it.
Experiencing the Dangers of Drunk Driving with Ford’s Simulator Suit
Because of Ford’s Simulator Suit, this morning I was able to experience the dangers of drunk driving first hand. By wearing the suit, you see firsthand how simple coordination tasks become a lot more difficult, including driving; and that reaction time and the ability to actually enable certain actions, such as braking, become delayed. Wearing the suit simulates the effects of being impaired with by incorporating the following items:
- Goggles that reduce and impair visibility by producing ghost images and tunnel vision
- Earmuffs that reduce hearing which delays reaction time
- Elbow bandages that slow movement
- Wrist Weights that affect balance
- Knee bandages that slow movement
- Ankle weights that affect balance
- A neck bandage that restricts head movement
*The only items I didn’t put on were the wrist weights because I still can’t do heavy lifting from my surgery.
Wearing the suit was eye opening because I thought I was in control and could walk the line (like if a police officer pulled me over and asked me to do the sobriety test) but I really wasn’t. In fact, I didn’t walk the line at all and actually tripped some in the process. You can watch the video of me trying on the suit on my IG Stories.
Ford’s hope is that the more people who get to experience the dangers of drunk driving, the more lives will be touched with the lesson to never get behind the wheel drunk.
Because Prom season will be here soon, this is the perfect time for parents to talk to their teenage kids about the importance of not drinking and driving. While you are having “the talk with them” please remind them not to text and drive and to limit the number of passengers they have in the car (because one of the biggest distractions is driving with additional passengers). Of course, remind them about the importance of buckling-up as well. Prom is exciting but it can also be dangerous without those kind of discussions.
I’m all about having fun but not at the expense of being safe. Don’t drink and drive even if you do think that you are in control, because you really aren’t.
That is amazing how good this works! Would be great to have this test for high schools in our area, I never heard of this before! I don’t have any alcohol if I’m going to drive, even a little makes me sleepy, even if not drunk.
This would bea good thing to use for people at risk for drunk driving (jihg schoolers) or even have this for offenders. I think sometimes people have no idea how impaired they really are. Now to get cellphones and texting which is sometimes worse.
This would be great for all kids to have to go through. They need things that give them more of a realization test.
Good ideal to make people realize that you are really not able to drive drunk even though your mind is telling you at the time that you can and all if the dangers involved.