County Executive Andy Spano and state Sen. Nicholas Spano joined about 100 students from Woodlands High School on Thursday, to give the students a chance to find out what it’s like to drive drunk or in bad weather – but without the consequences.

Woodlands students were able to try driving simulators that the county has purchased: one with a state grant through Sen. Spano and the other with funds from the county executive’s STOP-DWI program.

As part of the county’s ongoing effort to prevent drunk driving -- as well as driving errors commonly associated with inexperience -- the driving simulators will be taken to Westchester high schools in the late winter/early spring.
 
“We know that inexperience is a cause of many accidents. With this simulator, teens can get experience in a risk-free way,” County Executive Spano said. “They will learn what it feels like to drive a car when they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs; or to drive a car too fast when the roads are slippery. I thank Sen. Spano for following up on our request to get us the money to help buy this equipment.”

Said Sen. Spano, "The driving simulators will serve as a powerful reminder for our students of what driving under the influence is like, and the often fatal consequences. I am pleased that I was able to secure these funds. This equipment will allow the user to experience real-life driving conditions and challenges in a safe environment. This will be particularly helpful to inexperienced, young drivers who might not otherwise have an opportunity to experience these challenges – until it is too late.”

Each of the simulators costs about $105,000, with additional funds paying for the purchase of the trailer to house and transport the simulators.
The program will be run by the county’s Department of Public Safety. The new driving simulator can recreate many real road conditions and situations, including alcohol and drug use, speed, night driving, vehicle control, and adverse weather conditions, such as fog, rain, snow and sun glare.

According to County Executive Spano, drivers under the age of 18 account for about two percent of the licensed drivers in Westchester, but accounted for double that amount (four percent) of the personal injury and fatal accidents in 2000. Additionally, they were involved in seven percent of the alcohol-related crashes and seven percent of the arrests.

Schools interested in “booking” the simulators should call the county’s Stop-DWI Office at 995-4115.

The driving simulator could also be made available to other groups, outside of high schools. For example, it could be used to sharpen the skills of older drivers.