Simulated Impaired DriviNg Experience® (SIDNE)
This is being implemented as a result of recent fatalities with in our city. Impaired driving accounts for 80% of the traffic fatalities occurring in the City of Baytown. Prescription drugs, alcohol, illegal drugs and texting while driving can be deadly and ruin many lives in a matter of seconds. The objective of the Simulated Impaired DriviNg Experience® (SIDNE) is to deter driving under the influence through public education and ultimately decrease impaired driver related crashes, injuries and death.
This program will be handled by the Crime Prevention Division with Corporal Ken Hockless as the coordinator. We have the SIDNE go-karts and some peripheral programs such as “
- Distracted Driving
- Intoxiclock
- Fatal Vision, and
- Fatal Reflection
SIDNE is a battery-powered modified go-kart that simulates the effects of impairment from alcohol and other drugs on a motorist’s driving skills. There are only 14 of these in the State and Baytown PD is the only law enforcement entity to own 2. The students will negotiate a course in these go-karts and they can be remotely turned into “impaired mode” to simulate the lack of response a person would have while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Distracted Driving is a puzzle test that can be quite puzzling to complete when you’re faced with distractions. It can be used with a delayed speech headset and microphone (similar to when your talking to someone on a cell phone and you hear your own voice echoing in your phone) or to have them engage in a call or texting while trying to complete the puzzle.
Intoxiclock is a visual aid that you can put in your gender, weight, and number of drinks consumed in a time frame. You will see a fairly accurate idea of your BAC and time to peak as well as how long it will take to zero out of the alcohol.
Fatal Vision is a set of goggles that will give you the sensation of what your vision is with certain levels of alcohol. This set goes up to 25% BAC vision and we’ll have the students negotiate some simple tasks.
Fatal Reflection is a computer program. A picture of students can be taken and put into a presentation that will, for example, show them at a party and the outcome of the party could show their friends or them in an obituary, name on a headstone, and show the survivors pictures with injuries of your choosing.
We are very excited about implementing these tools to help educate our teens and adults on the hazards of impaired driving. Look for events when time and manpower permit and if you would like to assist at an event you are welcome to come along!
