Hands-On Training to Discourage Teens from Distracted and Impaired Driving

Township high school students won't have to wonder what it's like to drive while distracted or intoxicated; they'll get to experience a simulation firsthand.

Gloucester Township Police have developed a program to show students the dangers of distracted or impaired driving. Teens will drive a vehicle on a controlled course with simulations for texting while driving and being intoxicated.

Students will learn about the dangers of texting and cell phone use while driving by actually driving the Gloucester Township Police DWI simulator on a controlled course while attempting to text.

Texting while driving can cause drivers to focus attention on texting long enough to miss a person running in front of a vehicle, or a vehicle in front of them making a sudden stop, or to miss the traffic light changing to red.

Students will also use enhanced goggles that simulate when a person is under the influence of alcohol while driving the DWI simulator. The goggles' purpose is not to duplicate impairment caused by a specific level of alcohol or drug ingested by a human. The goggles distort vision and cause reactions that mimic behaviors exhibited by someone under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.

Separate sessions will be held for Timber Creek and Highland students later this month.