Drunk driving simulator shows Airmen dangers of DUI Published April 15, 2015 By Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Driving a motor vehicle takes concentration and skill. There are distractions on the road--other drivers, pedestrians, and animals. While those distractions cannot be eliminated, drivers can reduce their risk by ensuring their judgments aren't impaired due to alcohol. To help drivers, or soon-to-be drivers, members of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program provide outreach to organizations around the base. One of the education tools they use is an impaired/distracted driving simulator in a safe environment. "The simulator is a great way to get individuals to come out and talk to us, so we can educate about substance abuse and substance use," said Staff Sgt. Miranda Guittar, ADAPT Program Mental Health Technician. "It's a good asset to have at the clinic. I feel the only way to understand the dangers are to experience it in this simulated environment. It's important to understand the risks associated with drinking and driving. We want people to come talk to us and try the simulator out." The simulator allows drivers to experience what it feels like to drive impaired. The computer monitor shows them all the mistakes they have made during their test. When a driver makes too many mistakes, he or she is pulled over by the cops and is shown the steps following arrest, including going to jail and having a court visit. The simulator can also show a driver the dangers of phone distractions while behind the wheel: wrecking the car, getting picked up in an ambulance, and going to the emergency room. Guittar said the members of the ADAPT program are dedicated to reaching out to the base, because educating people about alcohol is key to reducing unnecessary risk to someone's life or military career. "There are a lot of misconceptions about alcohol--not knowing what a standard drink is, not understanding the risks associated with tolerance and black outs," she said. "A lot of times, people are just uneducated about alcohol." Tolerance is how alcohol effects one's drinking behavior. One person may become loud and belligerent when they drink, while another might act similar to someone who is sober. Both individuals could have the same blood alcohol level and be too intoxicated to drive, even if they feel fine to drive. Guittar said, "ADAPT recommends drinking one drink per hour, not exceeding more than three drinks a night. The reason this was put in place is because one standard drink of alcohol can put you at a BAL of .02. It takes the normal liver about an hour to process one drink. The only thing that can decrease your BAL is time. A greasy cheeseburger or a shower is not going to sober you up." Recently, Staff Sgt. Branden Beers, 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, attended an outreach event and said he enjoyed using the simulator, and that he learned something he wasn't expecting to. "The simulator shows you firsthand how easy it is to screw up when you're intoxicated. It takes you through the whole process. It puts it in perspective for you, that even when you think you're fine to drive, you're not." Guittar said she enjoys doing outreach and educating others about alcohol because it puts a face to the program and makes it easier for people to talk to her. "Going out and doing this type of prevention, we are able to curb those referrals that could impact someone's career," she said. "Prevention and outreach is very important. It's one of the most rewarding things we do. It helps people to be comfortable with coming in to seek our services." Seeking help through ADAPT does not mean one's military career is over. The ADAPT program is dedicated to getting service members back on their feet, so they can accomplish the mission they are assigned to do. Guittar said, "The stigma associated with ADAPT and mental health is there, even though we try to combat it every day. People think ADAPT is going to end their career. That couldn't be any further from the truth. There are individuals who come in and seek our services, and they are able to get treatment for their substance problems. They sustain their sobriety and are able to return to duty." She said the ADAPT program is not there to chastise people who partake in drinking alcohol. "April is a month where we can reflect on our alcohol use. We want to encourage healthy lifestyle changes and to have fun without alcohol," Guittar said. "However, we don't want people to not drink at all--that's not realistic if that's not their goal. We want to help them drink responsibly." For more information about ADAPT call 256-7080.