Student drivers ‘out of control’

Posted 2/23/11 (Wed)

By Stu Merry, BHG News Service

"It makes you think a lot more about trying to do it." And if a new learning tool recently purchased by McLean County’s Farm Bureau does what it’s supposed to, there could be a lot fewer impaired or distracted young drivers on area roads. A life or lives could be spared. Ethan Steele, a senior at Garrison High School, was one who experienced driving a Simulated Impaired DriviNg Experience®, or SIDNE®. The go-cart-like machine is a battery-powered vehicle that simulates the effects of distraction and impairment from alcohol and other drugs on a motorist’s driving skills. After navigating the SIDNE at Roy Schei Gym at Garrison High School Feb. 10, Steele added that if that is how bad reaction time is, "you should stay off the road."