WLLIAMSTON, S.C. (WSPA) — The Anderson and Oconee Behavioral Health Services, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and The National Safety Council conducted impaired and distracted driving simulations to educate students at Anderson Career and Technology Center. 

A grant for the simulation systems was secured by the Anderson and Oconee Behavioral Health Services. 

According to The National Safety Council Director of Traffic Safety, students were able to get hands-on experience with a virtual reality distracted driving simulator.

“Different distractions are introduced to their environment so that they can have a hands-on experience of realizing how that slows down their reaction time,” said Melissa Reck.

Students were also able to talk with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office about what to do if they were to ever get pulled over by law enforcement. 

“The Anderson County Sheriff’s office was also out here to give a standard field sobriety with the fatal vision goggles,” said Reck. 

The National Safety Council has been conducting sessions like these for seven years in different parts of South Carolina and Georgia. 

They said teenagers’ driving habits mainly come down to the parents. 

“The most important thing to remember as a parent is that your child is watching you. So if you answer your phone or check your phone while you’re driving, those children have seen that behavior. It’s really important for parents to make good choices behind the wheel, because you’re the best example that they have for what they’re gonna do when they start driving,” said Reck. 

Anderson Career and Technology students like Johnathan Hayden, walked away from today’s session with a valuable lesson. 

“I think it was really good because we always hear about this kind of stuff. I mean, just don’t drive drunk, but I think getting to see how the physical effects of it really brings some great awareness to all the situations,” said Jonathan Hayden. 
To view resources The National Safety Council has to offer, click here.