STRATFORD -- Addoneys Cruz, a senior at Bunnell High School, slid into the driver's seat of his car Friday afternoon and began texting one of his friends. Within seconds, Cruz drove across the center line and quickly yanked the steering wheel in the opposite direction, barely missing pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Then, without looking up from his text messages, he hit a moose.
Cruz was one of dozens of students from Bunnell and Stratford High to take part in a texting and driving simulation program put on by the PEERS Foundation. The group travels to high schools and colleges across the country to conduct drinking and driving simulations as well as texting and driving simulations.
"We want to make kids aware that texting and driving isn't a good choice and that it could have severe consequences," said Bunnell School Resource Officer Patricia Tesla.
One-in-three teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 said they have texted while driving, according to a 2009 Pew Research Center report. Overall, drivers using cell phones while driving are four to five times more likely to cause car accidents with injuries, according to PEERS.
In the simulation program, students climbed into a parked car and put on a headset to see the virtual course. Once they began driving, they texted their friends about upcoming social plans.
A video monitor displayed the driver's results to students waiting in line. The results were shocking. Many students crashed into pedestrians, struck oncoming cars and hit animals crossing the road.
"One of the reasons why we wanted this program ... is because we see kids driving and texting coming to and leaving school everyday," Tesla said.
Bunnell sophomore Chavious Hall saw the danger of texting and driving right away.
"It was easy when I didn't have to text, but as soon as I looked up and down while texting, the scenery changed rapidly," Hall said.
The simulation recorded the driver's off-road accidents, collisions, number of pedestrians hit, missed stop signs and other moving violations.
After the students got out of the car, they headed over to an open notebook and signed a pledge never to text and drive.
"I think the program itself has the perfect timing for these kids," said Devin Moore a U.S. history and sociology teacher at Bunnell. "They can understand the damage that can be done with texting and driving."