Drivers Education

Law enforcement officers and EMS workers responded to Thomasville High School's campus Wednesday afternoon. There wasn't a real emergency, but they were there to provide a reality check for students about the dangers of drinking and driving to hopefully save lives.

Ever taken a field sobriety test under the influence?

Or how about driven a car while impaired?

Jeronicha Hall, a 7th grader, says, "It made me dizzy so I couldn't see half the time. I kept hitting cones on the side of the road."

These students aren't really drunk, but with goggles that give the illusion they got a crash course of what could really happen if they get behind the wheel after having too much to drink.

"We have prom coming up, that's when most accidents, it's a big thing a lot of teens are involved in. A lot of them want to go out drinking and try to drive home," says Ricky Singletary, Resource Officer at Thomasville High School.

While this may look like a joy ride, these students say what they got out of this is while under the influence, this could be the last ride of their lives.

Joshua Harris, an 11th grader, says, "I saw the after affect of someone drinking and driving. It was pretty gruesome. It kinda’ makes you think twice about being safe and driving"

EMS workers and officers say they hope this is a shock factor for these teens, showing how mixing alcohol with driving could put them on a dead end road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2001 alone nearly 3,000 people under 21 died in alcohol-related traffic crashes. Almost half of them were killed during the months of April, May and June, prom and graduation time.