Sentara program shows teens the dangers of distracted, impaired driving

The trauma program at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital doesn’t just treat life-threatening injuries, but works to prevent them from happening in the first place. The team is rolling out a new program that uses a portable driving simulator to demonstrate the dangers and consequences of distracted and impaired driving.

One Simple Decision puts young adults in the driver’s seat, with a large video screen, realistic steering wheel and foot pedals. They drive through distraction scenarios such as texting and impairment. Consequences include fender benders and serious crashes, field sobriety tests, arrests, and courtrooms. The videos demonstrate the sobering consequences when impaired and distracted driving leads to accidents, injuries, and jail.

“It's pretty responsive to inputs,” said Jami Williams, injury prevention coordinator for the Sentara trauma program. “Step on the gas and it responds like your car, and the steering wheel works." It’s not like being in a car, Williams said, but it provides a realistic experience.

“We want to connect with area schools and present this program to appropriate age groups,” Williams said. “If we can convince young adults that impaired driving is not worth the risk, it will reduce the number of patients we see in our trauma bay.”

The Level I trauma program at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital treated victims from more than 1,900 vehicle crashes in 2022, resulting in 18 deaths. Among the injured were 562 young people aged 16 to 25.

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles crash data notes 646 distracted driving crashes in 2022 involving drivers aged 15 to 20, which caused deaths or injuries. That’s a small percentage of more than 20,000 distracted driving crashes that same year, which killed 95 people and injured more than 10,000. The top three causes of distracted driving crashes in Virginia are eyes wandering from the road, rubbernecking at accidents, and talking on the phone or texting. 

Schools and community programs can request a demonstration of One Simple Decision by emailing SNGH_InjPrev@sentara.com.