DWI Simulations

NMJC students take their turn in a DWI simulator

Kyle Close with Sports Center Marketing brought a bright red convertible to the NMJC campus. This car has been used to whack pedestrians, drive cross-country at 75 mph, use buses for target practice, run through stop signs, etc. This car has brokenvirtually every traffic law there is . It’s still in one piece and doesn’t have a scratch on it. No, this car isn’t invulnerable, it’s part of a drunk driving simulator Close is demonstrating as a part of a DWI campaign sponsored by NMJC and the Lea County DWI Program.

“What this car will do is simulate how a person drives after four drinks in one hour– over the legal limit in every state–– and will give people a feel for how their driving ability is impaired,” said Close.

It simulates intoxication by using an intricate hydraulic system, connected to a computer, which takes control of the vehicle. In addition to heaving the car with hydraulics, the brake-response time is slowed and steering is sluggish. When these factors are thrown into a person’s driving experience, they drive as if they are drunk, “ . . . no matter how sober the driver actually is,” Close laughed.

He further explained that the simulator starts by taking the driver on a trip through a busy city setting where you have to be cautious of pedestrians, cars pulling out, etc. Then it rolls out of the city into the country to long and winding roads. This is where you must control the car going around turns and not let it throw you into oncoming traffic or numerous other obstacles lying in wait.

“I can guarantee you that everyone who gets in there is going to drive poorly,” laughs Close. The thing to remember about this simulation is that it is not a game you try to win.

So far, he has been to about 50 different campuses in 35 different states demonstrating this unique vehicle. His company’s hope is to inform college students about the dangers of driving drunk in this setting before they are faced with it in real life.

Just across from this display another demonstration was taking place. This one was not as fancy, but was just as effective. Students were either driving a golf cart through an obstacle course or taking field sobriety tests. There was a catch though, they did these things while wearing what the state police call “Fatal Vision” goggles. The goggle lenses are made to simulate different degrees of blood alcohol intoxication.

On-lookers laughed when several volunteers staggered and tried to keep from stumbling as Brian Webster, New Mexico State Policeman, issued sobriety checks to students wearing the goggles. The laughter grew even louder when they tried driving the obstacle course with the golf cart.

Despite the laughter, DWI is a serious issue concerning New Mexicans. Lea County alone has had 30 DWI arrests since January, and over 170 last year. Moreover, those were only the arrests recorded by the state police, not city police.

Paul Newey, coordinator with the Lea County DWI Program, said he hopes both the goggles and the drunk driving simulator become yearly events at NMJC.

SIDEBAR

• DWI related crashes cost New Mexico over $1 billion dollars.
• Approximately 77% of all fatal crashes after 6 PM involve alcohol.
• 16% of the alcohol-involved drivers in crashes were less than 21 years old.
• An alcohol involved crash occurs every 102 minutes.
  Approximately 43% of all fatal crashes involved alcohol.
• 56% of alcohol-involved fatal crashes occurred on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
• 81% of the alcohol-involved drivers in crashes were male.
  Drivers under 21 are almost twice as likely as other drivers to be in alcohol-involved fatal or injury crashes.
• 73% of people killed in crashes were not wearing a seatbelt.