Save-a-Life tour comes to NCBC By Construction Electrician Constructionman Lucinda L. Moise NCBC Public Affairs Personnel attached to Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport attended a Save-a-Life Tour presentation at the NCBC Training Hall, March 22. The national high impact alcohol awareness program uses a shocking approach to teach about the dangers of drinking and driving. The Save a Life Tour features a drunk driving simulator, real life videos of drunk driving accident scenes, along with emergency room documentaries of injured victims and drunk drivers receiving treatment for their injuries. For five years the Save-a-Life Tour has traveled to military installations, high schools and colleges, visiting 80 percent of military bases in the U. S. to educate people on the dangers if driving while intoxicated.. According to the tour manager, Andrew Tipton, the Tour uses hands on and visual methods to show just how dangerous drinking under the influence of alcohol is. “We use a different perspective. Through the shocking, but realistic video presentations and the drinking and driving simulator, we show people what drinking and driving often leads to, which is the totally preventable injury or death of themselves or others,” said Tipton. The drinking and driving simulator is equipped with real life features such as a steering wheel, brake and gas pedals. It also contains over 100 miles of various road ways and a built in computer that tracks the amount of traffic signs each driver breaks. During the program, audience members were given the opportunity to operate the simulator to experience first-hand the effects alcohol has on driving. However, instead of the person being intoxicated the simulator essentially imitates a drunken person behind the wheel of a car. Culinary Specialist 1st Class Jason Robinson, assigned to NCBC’s Colmer Dining Facility, was among those who got behind the wheel of the simulator, and believes it broadened his understanding of the way alcohol impairs driving skills. “Driving the simulator was an eye opening experience. Actually being behind the wheel and feeling the effects myself gave me a fuller understanding of how much alcohol slows our reaction time,” said Robinson. According to Tipton, every 32 minutes someone is injured or killed by a drunk driver. He urges everyone to think twice before driving intoxicated and take the keys from anyone who been drinking. Save a life!