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From Oct. 28 through Oct. 30, hundreds of local students participated in the Arrive Alive Tour’s third annual visit to Thompson High School. (Reporter photo/Noah Wortham)

By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Alabaster students had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a car and learn about the dangers of impaired driving through a virtual reality program during the Arrive Alive Tour’s third annual visit to Thompson High School.

From Oct. 28 through Oct. 30, students in Alabaster City Schools and in The DAY Program donned VR headsets as part of the annual Arrive Alive Tour which teaches students about the dangers of distracted and impaired driving by putting them behind the wheel of a simulation. The annual program from the Arrive Alive Tour is made possible thanks to the local volunteer effort, Alabaster For Tomorrow, which seeks to educate and empower youth in the community in an effort to eradicate drugs and prevent youth substance abuse.

During the educational program, students climbed inside a real vehicle that was connected to a computer and a virtual reality scenario that simulated the effects of driving while under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or distracted driving.

“The goal is that students experience, in a safe environment, what it’s like to drive impaired, so that they would make different decisions,” said Brandon Matthews, who leads prevention efforts at Alabaster For Tomorrow. “Students seem real confident when they get in the vehicle that they can do it—it’s not hard, it’s not a problem—but stepping out of the vehicle, they’re faced with reality.”

After the simulation, each student received a citation listing the different issues with their driving and laws that were broken. For many students, the simulation ended with some form of crash or collision.

Matthews shared his main hope for students after they go through the Arrive Alive Tour program.

“The main hope is to totally shift their thought process, their perspective of what it means to drive impaired,” Matthews said. “The hope is that the students never are faced with the decision, but if they find themselves having made a decision to drink or use a substance and then get behind a wheel, that this would be a sobering reminder of the dangers and the life-changing impact in a split second it could have.”

The program was held during Red Ribbon Week and opportunities to participate were given to THS students who are taking driver’s education and health courses. Over the course of the three day program each year, approximately 400 students participate in the simulation.

“The Arrive Alive Tour partnering during this week is the perfect partnership, because it brings something fun that the kids enjoy,” Matthews said. “This is an experience that kids are excited to be a part of and it makes it fun, interactive and impactful.”

The partnership with the Arrive Alive Tour is just one of several ways that Alabaster For Tomorrow works within the Alabaster community to find ways to make a difference.

“Alabaster For Tomorrow is community-based program partnering with every sector of our community,” Matthews said. “We’re always excited for people to partner with us and serve with us and make a difference through what we do.”

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