Teens get high tech driving lesson

ROSSVILLE, Ind. (WLFI) - Indiana State Police and Subaru of Indiana Automotives have a high-tech new way to encourage young drivers not to drink or text while driving.

"I learned a lot of things today," said Rossville High School sophomore Lucas Zobel. "It was a very good program."

"I thought it was cool, it was a great program, and it was a good way to simulate how things go when you make bad decisions," said Rossville sophomore Brock White.

Indiana State Police Master Trooper Aaron McCormick said this driving simulator was a fun, but very important, lesson for the Driver's Ed students at Rossville High School. He said the dangers of texting while driving are something he sees every day, especially because his work vehicle is a blue Mustang.

"I'm able to blend in and see the people on the road who are texting and weaving in and out of traffic, or trying to drive, and they're more looking down at their cell phone than actually paying attention to the roadway," McCormick said.

The simulator doesn't just shed light on distracted driving. Another version of the game showed the teens what could happen if you drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The program was the brainchild of Subaru of Indiana Automotives. The company started out by testing it out on SIA employees, then at a fundraiser at Faith Baptist Church. When State Police heard about it, they wanted to help expand the simulation program to Driver's Education classrooms, starting here at Rossville.

SIA spokeswoman Jennifer McGarvey said the students seem to have gotten the message.

"There's small quizzes afterwards and there's life-like videos that show drivers what can really happen, and kind of the stark reality of distracted and impaired driving," McGarvey said.

"I don't think I'll ever text," Zobel said. "I don't know what my parents would think of me drinking either, so I don't think I'll do any of that."

"At some point if I'm in a hurry and my mom's trying to text me and tell me to come home, and I know I'm already late, I'll probably be tempted to text. But I'll try not to," said Rossville sophomore Holly Ware.