HUBBARD — Hubbard High School encouraged safe driving among students through a distracted driving simulation on Friday.

Mary Davis, who teaches high school government, sociology and psychology, is also the adviser for the high school’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) group.

The school also partners with Students Making a Safer Highway.

Davis said the simulator is provided by Arrive Alive, Drive Sober, which is based out of Michigan.

“This is the first year Hubbard is hosting it,” she said. “We’re trying to get all juniors and seniors to participate today. Arrive Alive has also provided some videos for us to use with real life experiences of drunk, drugged and distracted driving and the consequences of that and so they’ll be here with us all day.”

She said she first experienced the Arrive Alive simulator in 2018 at Lordstown High School.

Heidie Martinez, the event coordinator for Arrive Alive, said the simulator uses a real vehicle.

“This is the real car that we travel in,” she said. “We go to every state but Alaska with it. We just hook up sensors to the brake and the gas and then it comes to a VR (virtual reality) headset. These sensors go to the wheel and they can try drunk driving, texting or impaired by marijuana. Afterwards, we write them a little ticket that explains everything that happened on the road and tell them what could happen in real life if they do these behaviors. Then they have a picture we take and you can have it sent to you with your school logo on it and a survey.”

She said they receive grants from states, colleges, their education programs and the Ohio Highway State Patrol to pay for these events.

Martinez said she enjoys working with students and that she’s known people impacted by drunk drivers.

“I’ve had a couple family members who passed away from being hit by drunk drivers and I’ve known people who have gotten involved in DUIs because people who get DUIs aren’t necessarily bad people. People make mistakes and they don’t understand the repercussions,” she said. “I watched people go through what happens after you get (a DUI), even without being in an accident. You lose your car, you lose your job, you’re $10,000 in debt, you’re dealing with a probation officer, you got to meet with all of them, you got a breathalyzer on your car and it just really sets you back.”

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