Students in Alabaster participate in a drunk driving simulator as part of Red Ribbon Week

ALABASTER, Ala. (WBRC) – It’s Red Ribbon Week at Thompson High School in Alabaster.

On Tuesday, students saw what can happen when you drive poorly or are distracted.

Using virtual reality headsets, students were able to experience how split-second decisions can impact their lives forever.

Many of the students WBRC spoke with said they had difficulty controlling their speed and staying in one lane.

They say that by participating in the driving simulator, they learned that driving under the influence or driving while distracted is not worth putting themselves or others at risk.

For the third year in a row, the Arrive Alive tour has partnered with Thompson to show students how difficult and dangerous it is to be distracted, intoxicated or drunk while driving.

In a safe and controlled environment, students used virtual reality headsets that influenced their reaction times and perceptions of debt in people under the influence of marijuana, alcohol, or distracted by a cell phone.

“If you don’t think you can do it, don’t get in the car and do it. If you have to question that, don’t,” senior Alyssa Wright said.

“I think it’s good for us younger generations to see that small decisions can end up costing you your entire future,” added senior Chandler Hayes.

The goal of the driving simulator is to reach at least one student and hopefully create a ripple effect that will prevent them from putting themselves and others in danger.

Get news alerts on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, or sign up for our email newsletter here.

Copyright WBRC 2024. All rights reserved.