Simulator shows teen drivers the real danger of distracted driving

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Distracted driving now causes more crashes than drunk driving.

With school starting back, drivers can expect more traffic around the Triangle. Many of those drivers will be teens, who NCDOT said tend to be more at risk on the road.

According to NCDOT, six teens are injured every day in North Carolina because of distracted driving. Plus, one out of every five teen drivers will be involved in a distracted driving accident.

Orange County Sheriff's Office appeared on ABC11 on Thursday morning to talk about the dangers of distracted driving.

ABC11's Kim Deaner talks to law enforcement about the perils of distracted driving.

To help with the message, Orange County brought one of eleven distracted driving simulators.

The simulator allows drivers to safely visualize how much texting and driving takes their attention off the road--ultimately putting them and everybody else on the road at risk.

Heritage High School senior Abby Bierlein, 17, tested out the simulator. She actually crashed during the simulation, and said she would not drive with her phone again.

"I realized how hard it was to actually have control of the wheel and text at the same time," Bierlein said.

Heritage High School senior Abby Bierlein, 17, tested out the simulator. She actually crashed during the simulation, and said she would not drive with her phone again.