FREDERICK, MD - A local college hopes to send a clear message to students: Don't drink and drive or text while driving.
Gabe Pinenteo didn't have a good day.
"I hit a pedestrian, a car, I went over the speed limit. It was pretty nuts," said Pinenteo, a freshman at Frederick Community College.
Luckily, that was only a demonstration of what it's like to drink and drive at FCC.
"We got a simulator. It does three hours of texting and driving and three hours of drinking and driving. It's a real eye opener," said Brenda Davis, a service learning coordinator at FCC.
FCC also had 'mocktails' inside, where students had drinks minus the alcohol. Those at the college hopes it shows them they can have fun without drinking.
"We're invited out here to provide some community outreach to the students here and provide education on the dangers of alcohol abuse," said Ofc. John Meyer, with the Frederick City Police Department.
Students will get a citation and then get treated for their injuries. Students come over to the EMS triage after getting their citation.
"It's great that we have it here just to show students that it's not okay to drink and drive. You have absolutely no control over the car, and then while you're thinking about having control, you're speeding, doing 80 in a 45," said Shanika young, a FCC student.
Scott Johnson crashed into a few cars on the simulator. He thinks this shows why it's never okay to drink and drive.
"It was weird. At first, I thought it was going to be real easy, and then right when I hit the gas, it started from there. I started swerving, cars pulled out, and I just crashed right away," said Johnson, a FCC student and basketball player.
Pinenteo will remember what happened to him at the simulator, including hitting three pedestrians.
"Driving drunk seemed pretty difficult, and I couldn't stay on the road," Pinenteo said. "I would say I'd never do it again, in real life."
Not driving drunk or texting while driving is a lesson those at FCC hope the students learn through this experience.
