Toll Gate High School juniors and seniors will experience the effects of drinking and driving Tuesday without touching a bottle. They will also get a feel for texting and driving without endangering themselves or others as part of a program sponsored by the state Department of Transportation.

The department annually selects different schools to be provided with the six-hour distracted and impaired driving program.

One of the other schools selected, Rocky Hill School, had a really positive experience. A senior, Nathanael DeMoranville, says “the video they showed made the issues feel real.” He went on to say that it made him a more cautious driver. According to DeMoranville, there was an interactive driving game in which students played and had to drive while also answering text messages on a phone the organization gave them.

“We also watched really depressing videos, where families of victims spoke out about losing their loved ones and where those at fault for such accidents spoke about how guilty they felt,” said DeMoranville.

The program, “Save a Life Tour,” is a multi-media event that features video presentations within two multi-million dollar simulation experiences. One of the simulators covers texting and driving while the other covers drinking and driving. It is endorsed by high schools and colleges nationwide, the United States Navy, Marines, Air Force and Army. Numerous insurance companies and hospitals around the country also endorse it.

The program has been developed to provide high school students with state-of-the-art interactive driving simulation that demonstrates the consequences that come along with distracted driving. This program came about after distracted driving started to become an increasingly huge problem within the nation’s roadways within the past decade. According to National Safety Council statistics, 1,600,000 accidents occur annually; eleven teen deaths occur daily.

While the program is not mandatory for students, the school will bring together as many current and upcoming drivers as possible to raise awareness. The program will take place at the school May 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.