LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - "Honestly, that has showed me that it literally takes a split second just to crash, so maybe I won't," said Terrionna Bagley, a senior at Lima Senior High School. "I might just put the phone on the charger or something."
Eyes on the road—something we're all taught when learning to get behind the wheel. Today, with music, texting, maps, and more, there's more distractions than ever when driving. And for these high school students who will be attending prom soon, driving under the influence is just another danger to add to that list.
"These simulators just showed me I can't drink and drive; I can't text and drive, so just all have to stay safe as a whole—do none of that," said Bagley.
The Save a Life Tour is an awareness program that informs and educates the potentially fatal dangers of driving under the influence or distracted driving, which could claim not only your life but the life of innocent bystanders in your crosshairs.
"At the end of the day, without your eyes, you can't see where you're going," said Titus Koso of Safe a Life International. "If your eyes are on the road, you know where you're going. If both your hands are on the wheel, you can steer where you're going. And if you're thinking about where you're going, you can navigate; that way, if anything happens, you can maneuver through it. So we just try to let them know that if you can't see, you can't go."
During these sessions, the students use driving simulators which recreate the scenarios of driving impaired or texting behind the wheel. They also had beer-goggles and other interactive stations to further exhibit the effects of being intoxicated and the effects it has on your vision, motor functions, and decision-making.
"It shows us what we shouldn't do and what we should do," said Korben Moellering, a senior at Lima Senior High School. "It tells us what dangers we could put ourselves in and even the friends that we get in the car with."
In a little over a month, these Spartan students will dress to impress for their big night at prom, but after seeing things with beer-colored lenses, they know to think responsibly and hopefully save a life.
