Students steer through sobering DUI simulation with officers at Clarksville High School

CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Swerving through traffic cones and struggling to steer straight, Clarksville High students got a jarring taste of impaired driving — all without taking a sip or a hit.

Dozens of Clarksville High School seniors wore simulation goggles that mimic the effects of alcohol, marijuana, and LSD. The teens then climbed into golf carts to see firsthand just how dangerous driving under the influence can be.

"The drunk goggles I couldn't see out of at all," Blake Stucker said. "It felt like everything was farther away. That was just diabolical."

The goggles impacted each student differently. Some drove 30 mph below the speed limit, while others whirled through stop signs. However, most crashed into several traffic cones in the obstacle course.

They also got pulled over by real Clarksville police officers who hosted the simulation.

"I almost hit a person, which was a cone," Gabi Morgan said. "I was on the wrong side of the road for a long time."

Morgan wasn't the only one who found the test to be really stressful.

"I hit two yellow things which were supposed to be the meter," Hollee Lumpkins said. "I definitely will not drive drunk cause I hit all those cones."

Lumpkins was among many who said they were thankful to learn this lesson in golf carts far away from the road.

While the sun helped some students see a little more clearly, they couldn't imagine trying this at night.

"You don't know what could happen on the streets," Jonathan Howlett said.

Though reckless driving isn't a game, it happens far too often across Kentuckiana.

"A lot of young people like to speed and drive fast," Lumpkins said. "I saw some people the other day swerving in and out of the lanes in Louisville."

The latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that alcohol was a factor in about a third of teen driver deaths in the country in 2022. The Clarksville Police Department said that's why these trainings are so important.

"We want to try to arm them with some knowledge that maybe they haven't picked up along the way," Chief Nathan Walls said. "Some big boy, big girl consequences they will have to deal with in the real world."

Every single student who participated agreed to never drive under the influence immediately after seeing the damage left in the wake of their joyrides.

"This is really dangerous," Stucker said. "You just need to stay home. Get an Uber."

"It's not worth your life or anyone else's or the money it takes to fix the car," Morgan agreed.

On top of the driving lesson, officers taught the students how to change a flat tire and jump start a car.

"You can get out of a sticky situation or just save money if you're broke," James Truman said after watching a demonstration. "Everyone should practice a few times."

Chief Walls said traffic stops are some of the most dangerous runs his officers make. That's why these students also learned how to handle themselves during those.

"As part of the traffic division, I come into contact with students who don't know what to do during a traffic stop," Officer Chris Bartley said. "They get real nervous. Some have a panic attack."

The officers hope the training will create well-rounded drivers and make Southern Indiana's roads a little safer.

"It's good to learn at a young age so it stays with you your entire life," Howlett said.

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