Georgia State University’s Student Health Promotion is partnering with AllState to show the impact of distracted driving.
The event will be held Oct. 7, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. outside of the Student Center in Unity Plaza, according to Student Health Promotion.
The demonstration is called Reality Rides, which uses a driving simulator in a car that reacts to the driver. Using the car’s steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, the driver drives while attempting to text and/or talk on the phone.
Nicole Johnson, senior coordinator of Student Health Promotions, said distracted driving car crashes can happen within three seconds.
“The average text takes 4.6 seconds to send,” she said. “Individuals who drive while sending or reading text messages are 23 percent more likely to be involved in a car crash than other drivers.”
Marquez Harris, a student at Georgia State, said distracted driving is a serious issue, because it puts drivers and pedestrians at risk.
“I really do like the fact that Student Health Promotion is promoting safe driving…we must be aware of this issue and be wise enough to educate ourselves in order to create a safe environment,” he said.
Johnson said Student Health Promotions hopes for students to learn and tell others about the dangers of driving through the Reality Rides simulation.
“We (student Health Promotion) are bringing this event to campus, because we all need a reality ‘check’ or reality ride to remind us how that 3 seconds of distraction could change our lives forever,” Johnson said.
