Central High School students learn affects from drinking & driving

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Through a virtual reality experience, students at Central High School got an inside look at what it’s like to drive while under the influence.

The experience is a part of the Arrive Alive tour, showing the dangers and consequences of driving impaired. Teens can get behind the wheel through the lens of a driver under the influence.

According to data from the Missouri Department of Transportation, there were 217 people killed because of impaired drivers  in 2020.

“Before they make those mistakes, we can catch it and make sure they know it’s something they don’t want to get caught drinking and driving and don’t want to hurt somebody else or myself,” student ambassador, Isabella White said.

The exercise is designed to be as real as possible, without actually driving a functioning vehicle.

“It’s very blurry and it becomes much harder to drive,” White said. “There’s a lag between our actual movements.”

Roughly 80 students at Central High School were able to participate and Arrive Alive staff said the ultimate goal is to prevent teens from driving under the influence.

“If someone sees that, it can hopefully dissuade them from actually making that decision and driving while they are drunk,” Brendan Darrow said.

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