‘Arrive Alive’ to Mt. Hood’s impaired driving event

Mt. Hood students will have the opportunity to experience the horrors of intoxicated driving, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Main Mall.

The experience happens through a simulator that will be available for use during an event titled “Arrive Alive ” that will be organized by Paris Norris, Associated Student Government director of public safety and campus sustainability.

A group called Unite provides the simulators. The group travels the country educating students from elementary school, to colleges, “and beyond,” according to its website (arrivealivetour.com/unite).

The simulator consists of a car and special goggles that imitate dangerous driving choices. “They have a simulator (where) you can sit in this car that they bring, and you put on these goggles and see what it’s like to be behind the wheel while being intoxicated without actually doing it,” said Norris.

“It’s pretty cool to see because a lot of people get behind the wheel or go drinking and say, ‘That’s never gonna happen to me,’ but you can experience the simulator and see how easily that can happen to you,” she said.

The event include both a simulation of drunk driving and driving while texting, according to Norris.

Each simulation lasts about 15 minutes, and includes two surveys for participants: one before the simulation, and one afterwards.

Students will also have the option of getting their picture taken in the simulator.

Norris hopes that participants will better understand the risks of intoxicated and distracted driving after the simulations, and that they make the right decision when it comes to driving. “Especially for drivers who have not been in that situation yet (an accident as a result of intoxicated driving or texting), and I hope that it stays that way,” she said.

“Hopefully, by actually seeing it without actually experiencing it – that would be enough to deter somebody.”