Hauppauge HS Students Learn Intoxicated Driving Dangers

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Hauppauge High School students learned the dangers of drunken driving when they participated in the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department’s "STOPPED" program on May 8, the school district announced.

The interactive program allowed students to simulate walking and driving while intoxicated.

Officers from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department set up a driving course in the school’s courtyard equipped with "drunk buggies" and traffic cones to mimic obstacles. While operating the buggy, students wore special goggles to alter their vision.

Students also performed a field sobriety test while wearing the goggles. Officers asked them to keep their arms at their sides while placing one foot in front of the other, toe to heel, as they tried to walk on a straight chalk line. Students experienced how the goggles negatively impacted their balance and coordination.

Students left the demonstration with a better understanding of the consequences of driving while under the influence.