The Drunk Bug

I am really impressed by the Pennsylvania DUI Association and its ongoing effort “to address the DUI problem in all of its many stages -- from prevention to enforcement up to, and including, adjudication and rehabilitation.” They produce there own public service announcements, raise public awareness though special events, and offer a huge range of training and certification courses. There is a massive amount of info and links available on the Team DUI website, but one of the coolest things you will find there is the Safety Bug.

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I couldn’t help but call it the drunk bug because engineers have designed the safety bug with delayed response times that mimic the slower reflexes of an impaired driver.

A trained mentor in the front passenger seat controls settings which cause the vehicle’s steering to lose its finesse and prompt the braking mechanisms to become unpredictable. The result is an unsettling episode for the teen in the driver seat who gains a firsthand glimpse of what it feels like to drive under the influence.

The vehicle is showcased at schools around the state where teen drivers get to experience first hand the loss of control that makes driving under the influence so dangerous. Passengers in the back seat during these demonstrations are even more affected when they realize how scary this ride would be in reality and how truly helpless they would be in such an ill-advised trip.

Be sure to click on the video of the safety bug in action here.

So here’s a TDA salute to the Pennsylvania DUI Association for the fine job they are doing in raising awareness and promoting the prevention of DUI.