Ford highlights risks of undertow driving in youth safety program and uses special clothing to simulate complications
For more than two decades, Ford has promoted the Driving Skills for Life program, an initiative aimed at training newly qualified drivers. The objective of the training is to complement traditional training, focusing on critical skills such as hazard recognition, vehicle control and space and speed management, in addition to warning about the risks of driving under the influence of substances or distractions.
One of the recent differentials of the program, as highlighted in a report by the Today program, is the focus on the risks of driving in a hangover state. Although alcohol may have already been eliminated from the bloodstream, the residual effects on the body directly impact road safety.
SEE ALSO:
According to the data presented by the program, the hangover state can compromise cognitive functions in a similar way to drunkenness. Sleep deprivation and neurochemical changes resulting from excessive alcohol consumption lead to reduced reaction time and fatigue, factors that make it difficult to make quick decisions in emergency situations.
To demonstrate these hazards in a controlled manner, Ford uses specific simulation equipment. The costume consists of:
During closed-loop tests, the program demonstrated that obstacle avoidance maneuvers and sudden lane changes become significantly more difficult. In practical demonstrations, drivers who performed accurately under normal conditions lost control of the vehicle and left the track when using the simulator, even at reduced speeds, such as 48 km/h.
The initiative reinforces that safety behind the wheel does not depend only on the absence of alcohol in the blood at the time of driving, but also on the driver’s full physical and mental state.
