Stillwater High School students recently learned by experience – in a supervised and safe environment – about the effects of alcohol impairment on the body and driving.

After donning Fatal Vision goggles that simulate alcohol impairment at five different levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the students performed various tests of balance and coordination under the direction of School Resource Officer Deputy Sean Lyons and Physical Education and Health Teacher Marcus Harder.

Wearing the impairment goggles, the students then drove a golf cart through a course of short cones on the side of the high school field and track, negotiating curves and turns.

Some of the students also tried using their cell phones while standing still and wearing the googles.

None of the above tasks provide simple.

“I have to thank the Saratoga County Prevention Council and Officer Lyons for helping to facilitate this activity and for providing the goggles to use,” said Mr. Harder. “I feel it was a very effective demonstration of what the body and mind have the inability to do while impaired. Even though the course was a controlled environment, the cones could represent other cars, trees or even pedestrians that were run over while navigating the course with the golf cart.

“All the participants had a wrap-up session during their next health class,” he continued. “And the overwhelming response from the students was how little control they felt they had over their environment and body. Many of them have heard of local incidents of driving while impaired and drunk driving.

“They got as close to an experience as they could get. It’s hopefully something that will give them pause to rethink choices if ever put in an impaired driving situation.”