Drunk Goggles Show DUI Danger and Just How Bad People Really Are When They Drink

New York state police launched a DUI program just before the 4th of July weekend. Drunk goggles show DUI danger among other things, including not being able to walk a straight line. The police set this program up to show people the real dangers of drinking and driving. People often say they are “good” and are able to drive after a certain amount of drinks, but these goggles show the truth about your behavior.

Nina Schutzman, of the “Poughkeepsie Journal” participated in the activities associated with the drunk goggles and this was her response, “I was confident as I donned a pair of “fatal vision” goggles, which simulated a blood alcohol content of .07 to 0.10 percent, to take a walk-and-turn test, nine heel-to-toe steps forward and back in a straight line.” Nina continued, “My eyes were “drunk” but my brain was sober.” She soberly questioned, “Who can’t walk in a straight line after what amounts to a few beers or glasses of wine?” Her results were conclusive and not at all what she thought was going to happen. Nina answered her own question about not being able to walk a straight line after a few drinks, “Me, as it turns out. My feet wouldn’t cooperate, the straight line I was supposed to walk kept jumping back and forth, my head was swimming, and if not for the troopers keeping me steady, I would have fallen right over.”

Although Nina was not really drunk, she still had a hard time just walking a straight line with the goggles on. That was just one test of many, including wearing the drunk goggles while driving a golf cart around an obstacle course setup with cones. Nina explained she felt similar to walking the line. She felt as if she was out of control at going only 5 miles per hour in a golf cart. Just think of what the real dangers are when someone is driving 55 miles per hour in a car, on a street with other people and vehicles around.

Not only do drunk goggles show DUI danger, they also show people that what they perceive as driving safe, is not really driving safe. These goggles can be adjusted to different settings of alcohol levels, while performing a test. So, when people say they are fine to drive after 3 drinks, they can put that statement to the test and show the danger they are actually putting themselves into.

While New York is putting this program into effect for certain weekends, I feel everyone would benefit from this program. Why not introduce these drunk goggles into high school or even college programs? This program might be able to snap some people into the reality and dangers of drinking and driving. While not everyone will take the program seriously, if we can make a few people aware of this problem, wouldn’t that be worth it?

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/2015/07/02/state-police-dwi-event/29488229/