DUI simulator drives home dangers of drunk driving

New Hope High School students get a look at driving under the influence

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office is driving home the dangers of Driving Under the Influence.

Deputies and Student Resource officers took a lesson in impaired driving to students at New Hope High School.

Using special goggles and a golf cart, the DUI Simulation allows students to experience the effects of being drunk or high and trying to drive a car.

Deputies want to reach the teens early while they’re still learning to drive, so that they will make better decisions down the road if they ever find themselves in such a situation.

Some of the students, like John Barksdale found the experience to be an eye-opener.

“Impaired! It was very hard to drive. We did a walking test as well. That was very difficult. I couldn’t balance. I couldn’t see my feet. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“We can go ahead and start with our youth

with showing them how dangerous it can be being impaired, and how hard it is actually operating a motor vehicle while doing that. We have had multiple, multiple accidents where people have been impaired, and people have been either hurt or killed, so we want to prevent that as much as we absolutely can.”

Deputy Brian Jenkins stressed that with today’s technology and the availability of services like Uber and Lyft, it’s easier for people today to find other ways to get home if they’ve had too much to drink.