Driving, texting simulator to be set up Feb. 10-11

UNITE’s Arrive Alive Tour is the nation’s number- one ranked drunk and distracted driving awareness event, as well as the first-and-only marijuana driving simulator in the country.

The Arrive Alive Tour uses a high-tech, stateof- the-art simulator that allows participants to drive while distracted, drunk or drugged in a fully functioning vehicle without moving or being intoxicated. The simulator allows participants to experience the real-life dangers without the reallife consequences.

In 2023, 990 Missourians lost their lives due to a traffic-related incident including 133 teen drivers. Despite an overall reduction in fatalities from 2022, the work is not complete. MoDOT’s Show Me Zero campaign has a goal of zero traffic fatalities by 2030.

‘Now is a crucial time to educate teen drivers on the dangers of impaired and distracted driving to help meet this goal,’ a Tour press release said. ‘The fatal crash rate for teens is three times greater than for drivers aged 20 and over, and driver distraction is responsible for more than 58% of teen crashes.’

Young drivers (ages 16-20) are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a BAC of .08% than when they have not been drinking. The Arrive Alive team’s mission is to educate drivers on the dangers and consequences of impaired and distracted driving and to create life-long safe driving habits.

UNITE’s Arrive Alive Tour is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Transportation. For questions or more information, people may contact Nick Pitts at 888-4363394.