By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Maplesville High School students learned the dangers of distracted driving and how to respond in other hazardous driving conditions during Ford Driving Skills for Life.
The event was held at the Alabama State Troopers headquarters in Montgomery on Oct. 18.
Of the150 students that participated, 30 were from Maplesville.
Jackson Abbott, a freshman, said he wanted to participate in the simulation in order to become a safer driver by knowing what to do in different situations.
One of the situations addressed was what to do if their cars start to hydroplane.
Abbot said his biggest takeaway from the event was “being confident that you are not going to wreck because you know what to do if you start (to slide).”
Lauren Pouncey, a sophomore, said she enjoyed the opportunity to drive the cars and learn more about what to do if her car started to drift.
Noah Walls, a sophomore, said the event also helped him become a safer driver.
Walls was initially interested in the event because he had heard they would get to drive new cars.
The students drove simulations in Ford Mustangs, Ford Fiestas and some older SUV models.
Driving the Mustangs was the highlight for the Maplesville students.
Wells said students wore special goggles to simulate what it would be like trying to drive while drunk.
Abbott said it was hard to see anything with the goggles on.
Students then attempted to pass a sobriety test while wearing the goggles.
“They made me do it weighted,” Walls said. “I had weights and braces and there was this device they had on me that made me shake.”
Abbott said the harness simulated the affects of mixing medications and alcohol.
He said attending the event will also help him be more aware of who his driving when he is riding with someone else driving by knowing how to tell if the driver was under the influence of alcohol.
While driving the Fiestas, students experienced what it’s like to drive a car with an automatic braking system.
“The ABS — it usually takes five-car lengths to stop a car,” Walls said. “So, that is something you really need to pay attention to because usually on the Interstate you’re right behind the other person.”
He said if a car is not far enough back it might help decrease speed, but it is not going to prevent an accident.
Students also participated in a texting and driving simulation to demonstrate how dangerous it is.
“It was really hard trying to do the curves,” Pouncey said.
She said the event has helped her be more alert and aware while driving.