Ford Motor Company in a bid to ensure safe driving has introduced a new “drug driving suit” to demonstrate to young drivers just how dangerous it can be to drive while under the influence of illegal drugs. With the help of scientists at the Meyer-Hentschel Institute in Germany, the suit is meant to reproduce the physical impairment caused by drugs including cannabis, cocaine, heroin and MDMA (a.k.a “Molly”).
When strapped on, the suit creates tunnel vision with special goggles, plays random and distracting sounds through headphones, generates hand-tremors and adds weights that throw off balance. As seen in the video below, even professional drivers found driving a car at slow speeds extremely difficult.
First Drug Driving Suit – Tailored by Ford
Ford will implement the Drug Driving Suit into its “Ford Driving Skills for Life” program offered around the world. The program has provided free training to more than half a million people globally over the past 11 years. Young drivers will have the opportunity to experience the outfit, and also receive hands-on training covering skills including hazard recognition, vehicle handling, and distraction awareness.
“Driving after taking illegal drugs can have potentially fatal consequences for the driver, their passengers, and other road users,” said Ford Driving Skills for Life Manager Jim Graham. “We have already seen how the Drink Driving Suit has a dramatic effect on those who wear it behind the wheel, and are confident that the Drug Driving Suit will have a similar impact.”
Gundolf Meyer-Hentschel, the CEO of the Meyer-Hentschel Institute, reiterated how the stylish goggles distort perception via some flashing lights in the user’s peripheral field, while the headphones generate random sounds to completely change a person’s feelings about their surroundings. All of these combined make the users feel like they’re on Ecstasy or LSD.
We hope that this “suit” is not a drug on its own(lol).
