Cowra High School’s Year 10 students were given a taste of the dangers on the road thanks to the Cowra Rotary Club last Thursday.
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The students were given the opportunity to experience life behind the wheel while intoxicated and while being distracted thanks to a driving simulator on loan from the Young Rotary Club.
Cowra Rotary Club member, Ken Harris, said it was the simulator’s second visit to Cowra and was a good starting point for students.
"Before the simulator the students are very casual in their attitude towards driving,” he said.
“Afterwards they realise the seriousness of the situation and that their level of concentration tires them. I have to explain to them that when they concentrate so hard it increases their fatigue.
“I’ve pointed out to them it’s like an exam, they go in and concentrate for an hour or two hours and they come out and they feel buggered and when they drive a car it’s going to be the same,” he said.
Mr Harris said the simulator had returned thanks to the positive feedback of the community and school.
“The police, the schools and the two driving instructors in town are very supporting of the simulator,” he said.
“Distractions for drivers in this age group have become one of the major concerns for authorities, they’ve overtaken speeding. So I believe we are having some results just with the attitude of the students that leave after they’ve been on the simulator.”
Cowra High School students Daniel Barlow and Brock Dalton said it was good to have the simulator visit the school.
“The simulator was really good, different to what I thought it would be like,” Daniel said.
“You get into the simulator and it’s like if you hit someone they could die. I would recommend all the students having a go on the simulator.”
“It’s a good thing to have here,” Brock said.
“Driving gets a lot harder when you have distractions going on, it’s given me a wake up call before I go and get my L’s.”
Mr Harris said the simulator was available for students drivers to try throughout the year at the Young PCYC.
