ETSU police distracted driving simulator (Contributed/ETSU)

The ETSU Police Department debuted the distracted driving simulator on campus.

Lt. Damon Wilson, along with the rest of the ETSU Police Department, has been on a mission to bring awareness to campus about distracted driving. Through an awarded grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, a distracted driving simulator was brought on campus on April 15.

The department has participated in the Tennessee Highway Safety Office grant program for the last several years. Lt. Wilson said he started to see data about how distracted driving is on the rise in the area, which he found alarming. After further research, the department contacted one of the grant coordinators of the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to look into grant opportunities.

“I started digging more, and Washington County is ranked top 10 in the state for accidents involving distracted driving since 2014,” said Lt. Wilson.

The process started in February 2024. Since then, the department has researched, applied and figured out the purpose and audience of why it’s needed on campus. The final approval of the grant was received in September 2024, which is good for three years.

Lt. Wilson said that in an average five-minute driving scenario, four to six accidents can occur. The department’s main goal is to advocate and bring awareness to students and the community about the dangers of how distractions can lead to life-changing disasters.

“We don’t think about that, but you know, in that split second, the rest of our lives could change forever,” said Lt.Wilson. “All because of a device that wasn’t important or a ‘what are you doing for dinner this evening’ text — something trivial that wasn’t important.”

The distracted driving simulator was introduced to ETSU and has since gained traction among college students. Feedback has been great, and students are participating and learning the importance of this device. This device not only tests distractions, but also has a function for driving under the influence, which measures blood alcohol levels.

The department is hoping to expand and utilize this device at various events at schools, festivals and places that promote community engagement. The simulator has been to Science Hill High School, where the criminal justice program was able to obtain data and understand its purpose.

“Hopefully, people are walking away from the driving simulator thinking, ‘I can turn this off, it’s not worth the risk,'” said Lt. Wilson. “Thinking about all the different distractions and how to minimize them to be a safer driver, and if we have everyone taking those steps, maybe we can decrease the number of accidents and injuries of those hurt.”

 

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