Simulators show students what it's like to drive under the influence of pot, alcohol

Young drivers in Clinton Township, Michigan, got behind the wheel recently to try out a cannabis driving simulator at Chippewa Valley High School.

It was an experience 14-year-old Makayla White, a first-year student at the school set to begin driving lessons in just two weeks, said she won't forget.

"I felt like that’s a very terrifying experience," White said after exiting the simulator car. "I’ll never drink and drive.”

Educators had that lesson in mind when they set up the black SUV at CVHS on a recent Saturday morning, said Shaquille Hill, a traveling educator with UNITE's Arrive Alive Tour.

Wellness organization UNITE's simulator team has visited multiple states since launching its Arrive Alive Tour, which uses virtual reality to simulate distracted, drunk or drugged driving in a safe environment, Hill said.

“It’s been really amazing to be ... able to educate and give awareness to students all over the world, to make a smarter decision when it comes to driving under the influence," he said.

At CVHS, teens had the opportunity to get in the simulator car's driver seat, donning virtual reality goggles to see what it would be like to steer while under the influence of cannabis.

Like other teens throughout the day, White didn't make it far down the virtual road before crashing into another car or building.

An avid player of other video games, White said she felt the simulator was a helpful, accessible way to show young people what it's like to drive under the influence.

"You don't know what can happen, so it's better for preparing kids," she said.

Students with the school's Coalition Teen Council organized the Safe Drive Fair with the intention of spreading awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence, said Virginia Adams, a student assistance...