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NILES — Sixty-percent of accidental deaths of individuals ages 16 to 20 are the result of an automobile accident, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Service. In 2016, 16 percent of teens involved in fatal crashes had been drinking.

To lower these numbers, the Michigan State Police has launched an initiative titled Strive for a Saver Drive, through which officers educate teens about impaired driving. Earlier this month, Brandywine High School students were presented the program and given an opportunity to drive through a driving simulator.

Currently, more teens are driving after smoking marijuana than after heavy drinking. Every day, 11 teens die from texting while driving. Teen drivers are four times more likely than adults to get into traffic crashes or near-crashes when talking on their cell phone or texting while driving.

Brandywine High School students want to bring awareness of the dangers of drunk, drugged, and distracted driving to their classmates. The driving simulator gave the students an opportunity for a controlled (and legal) environment to test the dangers of drunk, drugged, and distracted driving.  The simulator was set up during lunch and open for all the students to try.  Students were also given the opportunity to use drunk/drugged goggles while waiting their turn for the simulator.