Alabama Students Learn Driver Safety from Simulation Software

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Heather Myers, 18, will tell you she has texted while driving, but she’s quick to point out it’s only in an emergency.

“I’ve never texted when I’m on the highway, though,” said the senior from Winston County.

She and other high school students got some real-world experience in just how dangerous it can be to text while behind the wheel of a car Monday as part of Northwest-Shoals Community College’s Career Tech Camp.

Software developed by the University of Iowa simulates what a driver can face when he takes his attention from the road for even a few seconds to initiate or respond to a text message.

Myers said she had no idea it could be so dangerous. Her simulation ended with a crash into a vehicle parked at a curb.

“I don’t think I’ll be texting and driving anymore,” she said.

It’s that lesson Northwest-Shoals instructors Cindy Tidwell and Abby Tedford hope all students who use the simulator take away with them.

“Statistics tell us that 28 percent of vehicle crashes are related to cell phone use,” Tedford said. “Hands-free devices are no safer because it splits the attention. We know the brain cannot perform two functions at the same time with the same degree of attention to both.”

High school and college students aren’t the only ones to blame when it comes to distracted driving, Tidwell said.

“For baby boomers and Gen Xers, talking while driving is the problem, while in Gen Y, this group now, the problem is with texting,” she said.

Drew Quillen, 17, and Colton Landers, 18, both of Belgreen, said the simulator presented its own set of challenges.

“It wasn’t all that unlike driving my own car,” Landers said. “And it was a little hard to watch for the people.”

Both Landers and Quillen exceeded the speed limit while using the simulator, and Landers hit a few construction cones while driving and texting.

“Yes, I’ve texted once or twice while driving,” Quillen said. “But, with my parents, it’s not something they allow.”

The camp, which is in its fifth year at Northwest-Shoals, allows high school students from across the region to get a sneak peek at technical and health occupations offered at the community college.