NEON DRUNK DRIVING SIMULATOR

Practical, hands-on experience is a great way to learn; creating safety education programs that communicate effectively means making the issues real and personal. But what if the lesson is about the dangers of driving drunk?

Chrysler has found a safe way to demonstrate this dangerous situation to teen drivers with the Neon Drunk Driving Simulator, a specially equipped Dodge/Plymouth Neon that mimics the effects of driving after drinking alcohol.

Sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the U.S. Department of Transportation, the National Association of Broadcasters and local Chrysler Corporation dealers, the Neon Drunk Driving Simulator will travel to more than 250 schools. The vehicle has made more than 2,100 public appearances in more than 200 cities since the program began in 1988. To date, over 750,000 people have tried the Simulator.

How it works

A computer in the Neon is programmed with the student driver's weight and a hypothetical number of drinks.

As a result, steering and braking responses are delayed, producing an effect similar to the slowed mental and physical response abilities of a driver under the influence of alcohol. With these impaired abilities, the student attempts to negotiate an obstacle course without hitting the orange pylons or pedestrian figures that appear along the way.

A trained instructor is in the car with the driver at all times. If the instructor presses any key on the computer during operation of the vehicle, the program will shut down, and the Simulator will resume normal driving response. The instructor can also use a passenger-side brake to control any driving situation.

For more information about the Neon Drunk Driving Simulator, contact the Simulator program headquarters at PO Box 2008, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48303-2008. Or call 1-800-443-4288.