Rocky Point Students Get Hands-On Lesson on DWI Dangers

As a complement to the school’s health education program, and in a continued effort to educate students about the dangers of driving while intoxicated, Rocky Point High School hosted a drunken driving simulation program during physical education classes.

The S.T.O.P.P.E.D. program, which is offered by the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Department, is geared toward informing high school students about the consequences for drivers who elect to get behind the wheel of a car while in an impaired state.

With the assistance of the sheriffs, the students attempted to peddle go-cart-type vehicles through cone mazes beset with challenges. After first completing the maze with clear vision, the students repeated the task while wearing goggles that simulated driving while impaired at nighttime. With these goggles they also attempted field sobriety tests, such as walking astraight line while counting to nine.

“Each one of these cones represents a human being – hitting one means that youhave either injured, or worse, killed that individual,” Deputy Sheriff Thomas P. Indence told the students. “Young people often think that they are invincible, and because of thatmake irresponsible choices. After today, we hope that getting behind the wheel whileintoxicated is not one of those choices.”

The program was run at the high school with coordination from the school’s SADD club.