7 Top Tools for Distracted & Drowsy Driving Prevention

Find hands-on tools to use in your distracted & drowsy driving awareness program.

Distracted and drowsy driving prevention programs can benefit from hands-on learning tools and experiences that get participants actively involved and engaged in learning. With over twenty years of experience, we have a full lineup of distracted and drowsy driving tools that can be a game-changer in your awareness and prevention program, including:

1. Drowsy and distracted goggles
2. Texting and driving/drowsy driving simulator
3. DIES® mat
4. Distract-a-Match®
5. M.E.T.H.O.D.®
6. Phone Condom
7. Change Blindness

Read more about each of these distracted and drowsy driving awareness tools below.

Drowsy and distracted goggles

The Fatal Vision Drowsy and Distracted Goggles feature three impairment modes:

1. Distracted Dial: simulates what could happen if someone takes their eyes off the road to dial a phone. Every three seconds, the goggles black out for three seconds.
2. Distracted Text: simulates the distraction that occurs when someone reads or responds to a text. The goggles black out for 4.6 seconds to simulate the time needed to view the phone.
3. Drowsy: simulates momentary micro-sleeps that build in waves until the eyes and brain shut down. The goggles black out beginning with a short half-second closure and continue to blackout for longer periods.

When combined with some of the activities and tools included in the Drowsy & Distracted Program, Event, or Campaign Kits, the goggles can be used to simulate the effects of drowsy and distracted driving in an engaging and effective way.  

Texting and driving/drowsy driving simulator

A texting and driving or drowsy driving simulator provides an authentic driving experience for participants to learn about distracted and drowsy driving. Our distracted and drowsy driving simulators provide a realistic glimpse into the dangers behind the wheel, without putting anyone’s safety at risk, and they come with a host of other benefits. 

We offer two different distracted and drowsy driving simulators to choose from:

1. Roadster Pedal Kart
2. SIDNE (Simulated Impaired Driving Experience)

When used in tandem with the Drowsy and Distracted Goggles mentioned above, these simulators let participants experience the delayed reactions and other impaired effects of driving while drowsy and distracted.

Find out which of these distracted and drowsy driving simulators are right for your program here.

DIES® mat

The DIES® Distracted Driving Activity Mat features a graphic depicting a town setting with streets, crosswalks, railroad crossings, and other common roadway and town features. Participants are asked to drive through town using the DIES® Steering Wheel. After they complete a “normal” run obeying traffic signs, looking both ways, and keeping their car on the road, ask them to complete the challenge, this time with added distractions. You can ask participants to send a text message, close their eyes every minute to simulate drowsy driving, or another challenge to show how easy it is to make errors like missing turns, driving off the road, or hitting pedestrians. This safe, hands-on experience shows participants just how dangerous it is to drive while distracted or drowsy.

Distract-a-Match®

This simple shape- and color-matching game is a hands-on tool that helps demonstrate the impact of cognitive, visual, and manual distractions on our reaction time and judgment. Participants will get a personal experience with how distractions impact their ability to react and reflect on how this relates to the ability to operate a motor vehicle safely.

M.E.T.H.O.D.®

M.E.T.H.O.D.® (Mind Eyes Two Hands On Driving) is a step-by-step distracted and drowsy driving prevention framework that can help you design and build an evidence-based, peer-led program to promote distraction-free driving. This three-part training series engages and guides student peer leaders (grades 9-12) to address the issue of distracted and drowsy driving in their community. Students will learn to help their peers stay focused on the road with engaging and interactive activities and examples.  

Phone Condom®

This simple texting and driving prevention tool provides a way to remind your participants about the dangers of cell phone use while driving. Drivers are encouraged to place their phones in the bag to remove the temptation of calling or texting on the road. Each bag also comes with an insert card that gives a sobering fact about distracted driving to reinforce the message. We recommend handing out these tools at the end of a distracted and drowsy driving prevention program to reinforce messages taught during the program. 

Change Blindness

Change Blindness is an interactive distracted driving media program that teaches participants about the susceptibility to distraction and change blindness and introduces strategies to maintain focus on the road. This hands-on learning experience will explore five different driving scenarios and provide guidance on the “S.E.E. Strategy,” an approach to help reinforce safe driving skills and reduce the risks associated with distracted driving.

These top tools for distracted and drowsy driving prevention programs can be used to reinforce critical messages about impaired driving through the creation of engaging and hands-on experiences for participants.

Browse our drowsy and distracted driving tools online or call 800.272.5023 for customized support today.

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