Rather than put young drivers on the road before they have practiced and learned the rules of the road simulation development is helping to enhance education before a student sits behind a real steering wheel.
Learning the ropes
The Eastern Courier reported that inexperienced drivers in Botany Downs, New Zealand, have access to a simulator development called Youdrive, an immersive driving experience without the real-world threat of physical injury. This consists of several screens setup in tandem with high-resolution projection and simulation development software designed to provide a realistic driving experience. Students can choose from a variety of road types, weather conditions and vehicle capacities – and both standard and manual transmission modes are available.
“Young people continue to be over-represented in vehicle crash, injury and death rates,” said Kevin Wall, owner and creator of the Youdrive simulator, in an interview with The Courier. “[Youdrive] provides a stepping stone between the theoretical and practical training and enables people to learn in a risk-free environment before going on the road.”
Reviewing common threats
For those already travelling the world’s roadways, other simulator development exists to help drivers remember how dangerous driving can be.
In Washington, South Carolina, Ohio and several other states, students have already experienced the Distracted Driver Simulator (DDS), a pair of goggles worn by the driver that displays realistic images of a crowded roadway. It challenges drivers to text or deal with in-car distractions while driving. The simulation software goes a step further than the accident scene, as it walks participants through interactions with emergency medical and law enforcement personnel, all the way to court proceedings.
Targeting young drivers
Both Youdrive and the DDS are aimed at younger drivers, but an experienced participant could still benefit from the simulator development. The fact remains that the majority of distracted driving accidents and careless traffic incidents resulting in fatalities are caused by drivers under the age of 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found around 40 percent of people under the age of 30 admitted to regularly sending and receiving texts and emails while operating motor vehicles. One in five accidents per year involves a distracted driver, the NHTSA states. With more than 20 percent of those injuries and deaths related to cell phone usage, it’s clear why Youdrive and DDS are pushing young drivers to learn the rigors of the road and focus behind the wheel. Simulator development can give them a firsthand look at the difficulties of driving.
Contact Stacey Burris at sburris@csesoftware.com or 1.309.670.7595 and ask for a simulator demo today!
