By Cassey Graeff –
Drinking and driving is common within various age groups, but Penn Manor High School is giving students the opportunity to take a ride in the Safety Bug.
“The Safety Bug, part of an innovative program developed by Pennsylvania Driving Under The Influence Association,” according to the website padui.org.
The Safety Bug is programed to demonstrate the feeling of losing control and operating a motor vehicle while being under the influence, hypothetically speaking.
The major difference with the Safety Bug is that it is the car that is “drunk” not the driver.
Any student at Penn Manor that has a valid license is able to sign up and drive the safety bug for the experience of what it would feel like to drive impaired.
“As you can imagine, lessons learned from a teen’s experience with The Safety Bug are likely to have a positive impact upon the participant’s future decisions- and help prevent risky behaviors, hopefully saving lives,” the website states.
The Safety Bug is a great teaching tool. Students don’t understand the risks of driving under the influence, but having the chance to drive the Safety Bug could change their opinion forever.