Virtual Reality DUI Prevention Program at Chico State
On Tuesday, February 11, 2020, students at Chico State University participated in a virtual reality DUI prevention program aimed at raising awareness of the dangerous effects of driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The event was one of a series of events that are part of the Arrive Alive Tour, which travels to campuses all across the U.S.
The Program
The program is conducted by UNITE in partnership with WellCat Substance Abuse Prevention and Education. Students participating in the event entered a model vehicle fitted with virtual reality gear and chose from three different dangerous driving situations. The scenarios included simulations of what it’s like to drive while drunk as well as under the influence of marijuana and distracted by a cell phone.
While the experience can be a fun test of skill, the program coordinators say that they hope students will better understand the dangers of driving a vehicle while impaired and that this understanding will discourage them from making poor decisions.
DUI In Chico
Chico has had its fair share of DUI incidents. According to records released by the Chico Police Department (CPD), there have been more than 20 DUI-related arrests in the city since the beginning of 2020. In February alone, there have been over eight arrests to date.
Chris Nicodemus, with the University Police Department, told reporters that these sorts of educational programs can have a big impact on DUI prevention, adding that tools like this really establish that tragic collisions can be prevented.
DUI In Chico
According to UC Berkeley stats, there have been 2,749 traumatic vehicle crashes in Chico between 2008 and 2019. Around eleven percent of these accidents were primarily caused by a motorist who was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Altogether, 397 accidents involved an intoxicated driver.
These DUI accidents had a much higher fatality rate than other kinds of accidents. While Chico collisions, in general, had a fatality rate of about 1.3 percent, while DUI accidents were deadly about 5.5 percent of the time.
DUI and Liability
Drivers who decide to get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence make a conscious decision to put other peoples’ lives in danger. Because of this, DUI motorists are almost always determined to be at-fault in the event of a collision. This means that people who have been injured during the crash can hold them responsible for damages related to the crash. By working with a Chico personal injury lawyer and filing an injury claim against at-fault parties, collision survivors can often obtain compensation for a wide variety of losses, including medical bills, damaged property, lost wages, and more.
Other Blogs Written by Ed Smith, Chico Personal Injury Lawyer
- Crash in Chico Hospitalizes Woman
- What are Chico Personal Injury Lawyers?
- Serious Chico Auto Accident
Chico Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Chico personal injury lawyer. If an auto accident caused you serious injuries, give me a call and get free, friendly advice. My local number is (530) 392-9400 and I can also be contacted at (800) 404-5400.
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