Save A Life Tour to educate, offer Team Robins hands-on perspective on dangers of drunk driving Published Oct. 24, 2008 By Wayne Crenshaw 78th ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Robins is deploying a new weapon in its efforts to combat drunk driving. Hundreds of Airmen will soon spend time in a simulator aimed at demonstrating the dangers of drunk driving as part of the Save A Life Tour, an alcohol awareness program. The purpose of Save A Life Tour, said Clyde Turner, a safety specialist in the 78th Air Base Wing Safety Office, is to offer perspective to the impact that alcohol has on driving. "We have a concern with a rising number of DUIs throughout the whole Air Force," Mr. Turner said. "This will simulate drinking to show how little control you have." The Save A Life Tour will be at Robins on Nov. 6 at the Museum of Aviation in the Century of Flight Hangar. All military personnel ages 18 to 26 years old are required to attend. All other military or civilian personnel on the base are invited to attend. Following a briefing, participants - at a rate of 50 to 90 per hour - will experience a simulator that will demonstrate the impact alcohol can have on driving ability. Dave Fandrick, a sales agent for Save A Life, said two people at a time will be in the simulator for four minutes or until they crash. During the simulation, the machine shows the vision and control problems that result as the alcohol level increases. The simulator is identically patterned after a Ford Taurus. It also takes into account the height and weight of the driver to determine the impact expected from the programmed alcohol level. After the simulation, a printout gives all the mistakes the driver made, including running red lights, speeding or crossing center lines. The impairment level increases about every 10 to 15 seconds. "It shows from a sober perspective what a person under the influence of alcohol actually does or reacts to," Mr. Fandrick said. The Air Force has a one-year trial contract with Kramer Edu-Tainment, which operates the simulators at high schools, colleges and military bases around the country. The company's Web site, www.savealifetour.net, describes itself as "shock jocks of anti-drunk driving." The program features a 12-minute video and includes a coffin on display with a sign that reads "Reserved for the next victim of drunk driving." The briefing, which is for all participants, is at 8 a.m. and the simulator will operate from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Due to the number of people expected to participate, not everyone will get in the simulator but everyone will be able to watch it being used.