Attraction at Clark Co. Fair stresses importance of sober driving

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio ( WDTN ) — It’s fair season here in the Miami Valley and the Clark County fair has just begun.

The Clark County Fair kicked off on July 19, held at the fairgrounds at 4401 S. Charleston Pike in Springfield. Alongside carnival rides, fair food and livestock competitions, attendees also had the chance to take part in a distracted driving simulation.

Offered this weekend at the fair, “Arrive Alive” offers a rather unique experience and teaches a sobering lesson.

UNITE’s Arrive Alive Tour uses a high-tech virtual reality simulator to allow people to experience what it’s like to drive inebriated.

People of all ages can get behind the wheel of the car, and with the help of a VR headset, they can experience what it’s like to drive while distracted, drunk or drugged — all while safely parked at the fairgrounds.

Drivers will experience blurry vision, unresponsive controls and delayed movement of the vehicle, all while trying to just adhere to the typical traffic laws of everyday driving.

As expected, it’s rare that anyone ever makes it to the end of the simulation.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Sergeant J-Vonne Humphreys says that’s the whole point.

“We’re here to teach first, before we make the stop,” Humphreys said. “I didn’t make it as far as I thought I would, but that’s okay. That’s the whole purpose of this.”

In 2021, traffic fatalities rose 10.9% nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Driver distractions are responsible for more than 58% of teen crashes.

Clark County Combined Health District and OSP partnered with the Arrive Alive Tour to promote safe driving and teach drivers the importance of driving sober.

The Clark County Fair is set to run until July 26. To learn more about the Arrive Alive experience, click here .

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