DANGER: Distracted driving ahead!

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Whitney Kennard, 88th Security Forces Squadron entry controller, replies to a text while driving a simulator during the Save a Life Tour presentation inside the Jarvis Fitness Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Dec. 10, 2015. The simulator shows the driving how hard it is to control the car, follow all the rules of the road all while texting and how dangerous it is. (U.S. Air Force photo / Wesley Farnsworth/Released)

DANGER: Distracted driving ahead!

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Brandon Horton, 88th Security Forces Squadron entry controller, drives a simulator that demonstrates what it’s like to drive drunk during the Save a Life Tour presentation inside the Jarvis Fitness Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Dec. 10, 2015. The simulator has a built in delay on the steering wheel, gas and brake pedals that mimic what the Airman would feel had he actually been driving drunk. (U.S. Air Force photo / Wesley Farnsworth/Released)

DANGER: Distracted driving ahead!

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thaddeus Mooney, 88th Security Forces Squadron patrolman, listens to the Save a Life Tour presentation inside the Jarvis Fitness Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Dec. 10, 2015. The presentation talked about the dangers and impact of driving while distracted by texting, drinking and driving, or even simply eating a cheese burger. (U.S. Air Force photo / Wesley Farnsworth/Released)

DANGER: Distracted driving ahead!

Published Dec. 14, 2015
By Wesley Farnsworth
88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- More than 175 Airmen from around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base gathered at Jarvis Gym to attend the Save a Life Tour Dec. 10 hosted by the 88th Air Base Wing Safety Office.

Airmen of all ranks were invited to attend one of four training classes that allowed them to get a better understanding of the dangers of distracted driving.

"We wanted to host an event that not only met the requirements asked of us by wing leadership, but also gave the Airmen something different than the standard briefing," said Master Sgt. Joseph Kroll, 88th ABW Safety Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of occupational safety. "This is the second time we've hosted this program and felt it was the perfect fit because it relayed the same message, but from an outside source instead of just coming from their leadership."

During each two-hour class, attendees had the chance to watch a short video featuring a family member of a victim killed by a driver who was texting. The video also featured the individual who was texting and responsible for the loss of life.

"When it comes right down to it, distracted driving kills," said Kroll. "It doesn't matter if you're texting, driving drunk or eating a cheeseburger while driving. It still distracts you and can cause accidents or even worse."

In addition to the video, attendees were able to drive two different state of the art simulators. The first simulator required the driver to read and reply to texts while continuing to obey all traffic laws, including the speed limit, as they drove.

The second simulator gave the driver a chance to experience what it was like to drive drunk by using a built-in delay on the steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, which mimics the delayed response an actual drunk driver would experience.

Airman Spencer Bondera, an entry controller for the 88th Security Forces Squadron, attended the event and had an enlightening experience.

"I really enjoyed this and was able to learn a lot more than I thought I would from it," said Bondera. "It was interesting being able to use the simulators to drive drunk and drive while texting without having to worry about any of the real-world consequences if something happened."

During the session, Airmen were reminded that just because someone is a great person doesn't mean they can't make a bad decision that could impact their careers, their lives and the lives of others. They were then urged to be careful and make smart decisions while driving, especially with the holiday season coming up.