Any time you step out on the road, you never know the dangers you could potentially face. Even if it’s a completely safe travel or route, something happens along the way. Drinking or driving affects every individual on the road, whether you’re the one drinking or not. These influenced drivers could cause a deadly accident.

As prom approached Manville High School, an organization who focuses on highlighting the dangers of influenced driving educated MHS students on the potential consequences. This organization, known as the Arrive Alive Tour, gives students an interactive experience on the effects of drugged or influenced driving. They also focus on the impact marijuana and texting could have on a driver.

This organization brings a non-functioning vehicle to a location for participants to use. This vehicle is connected to a computer, which allows the participants to see one of three options – drunk driving, drug influenced driving, and distracted driving. Hooked with a virtual reality headset, the student can see what a victim of said experience would see, whether it’s the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or texting and driving. They have to pass through a regular street with mild traffic, and avoid few obstacles. At the end of the course, they must pass a tunnel – the student is given a ticket with every fault, ranging from an accident to running a red light.

This simulator is meant to teach students the effects of driving while under any influence. Even if a student believes they are capable of driving, they do not realize the dangers. In fact, if the simulator isn’t enough, the Arrive Alive Tour organization provides students with enough evidence to back up the dangers behind drunk driving.

• Every day, 29 people are killed in the United States from alcohol-related vehicle crashes.
• In 2016, 10,497 deaths from alcohol impaired crashes.
• One person is killed every 50 minutes in the United States due to drinking while driving accidents.
• Every two minutes, someone is injured in a drunk driving accident.
• About one-third of all traffic crash deaths in the United States involve drunk drivers (drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or higher).
• Drinking while driving is still the #1 cause of death on our roadways.

This organization additionally allows students the option to experience distracted and drugged driving, along with providing information to push students away from the decision to do so.

• At any point in the day, approximately 660,000 drivers are attempting to use their phones while behind the wheel of an automobile.
• The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year.
• Nearly 330,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving.
• Distracted driving claimed 3,450 lives in 2016, according to the NHTSA.
• 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.
• Texting while driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than drinking and driving.
• You are driving your car at 55 mph. You answer a text message, which, on average, takes away your attention for five seconds. In that time, you could have traveled the distance of a football field!
• After alcohol, marijuana is the most commonly used drug while driving. (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• Drugged driving is dangerous! According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the effects of marijuana can include altered senses and sense of time, slow reaction time, anxiety, hallucinations and more.
• In 2015, 57% of fatally-injured drivers were tested for drugs. Of the 57% tested, 35.6% of them had marijuana in their system. (GHSA)

The Arrive Alive Tour organization illuminates an issue that continues to affect young students every single day. Whether you’re drugged, intoxicated, distracted or not, you could become a victim of the issue. It’s important to be safe on the road, not only for your own safety, but for the safety others. Always remember, wherever you go, stay safe and sober to arrive alive.