As you approach the team room in the Sailor Center during first lunch you hear laughter from the biggest group of guys I’ve ever seen.

I walked in the room and found a spot in the back to find out what all the laughter was about only then to witness the kid driving on the computer screens crash into a tree.

“Dude I will never ride in your car again”

“Are you sure you passed your driving test”

“Josh that’s like the twentieth time you’ve crashed now.”

Once the student I know knew as Josh the bad driver stepped away from the table, Officer Davis asked who wanted to go next and every hand in the room shot up like a rocket.

It turns out when given the opportunity to test their driving skills under the influence of alcohol and during texting; teenage boys will jump at the chance to do better than their friends.

The driving simulator was first brought to the schools attention by Officer Davis of the Norton Shores Police Department after the police department received a grant from AAA Insurance Company to make the experience possible.

Davis then called principal Jennifer Bustard and discussed with her about bringing the simulator into the school for the students to use and learn from.

The simulator was set up to be used during lunches, law enforcement classes and some health classes.

“Its obvious that this is something that needs to be addressed,” law enforcement teacher Tom Wilson said. “No ones going to pass up the opportunity for kids to learn about the effects of bad driving.”