Save a Life Tour Brings Alcohol Awareness to Sailors at NAS JRB

FORT WORTH, Texas (NNS) -- The national Save a Life Tour (SALT) alcohol-awareness program stopped at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, March 31, to speak with military members about the dangers of drinking and driving.

SALT is a high impact, hands-on program that combines shocking statistics of the devastating effects of drinking and driving, graphic vehicle accident footage and a driving simulator designed to show how alcohol affects reaction times and motor skills from a sober perspective.

Navy participants are bombarded once they walk in the door with sights ranging from an empty casket to videos of lifeless bodies being dragged from mangled vehicles. Once the somber tone is set, the Sailors board a driving simulator that provides the drivers a since of tunnel vision similar to that felt by drivers under the influence of alcohol.

Sgt. Yadira Mendoza, a 26-year-old Marine Reservist, felt dizzy after completing her five-minute drive.

"[The simulator] would make you think twice about drinking and driving," said Mendoza. "The coffin did it for me alone."

Of the tens of thousands of accidents that are caused by drunk driving every year, 15 percent are caused by swerving. According to SALT senior manager, Brian Beldyga, swerving is the number one cue to police that someone may be under the influence. The simulator shows just how difficult it may be to operate a vehicle drunk.

Beldyga has been on a mission to save the lives of others since his fiancée died in a fatal drunk driving accident eight years ago. After seeing the less-than-desirable results of other alcohol awareness programs, like the laugh-inducing "drunk goggles," he felt a more in-your-face approach was needed to resonate in the hearts and minds of the participants to produce results.

"Positive reinforcement is temporary and doesn't work," Beldyga said. "I use a shock jock, in-your-face approach."

SALT spokesman, Jeremiah Newson, has only been with the program for eight months, but can see that it's making a difference with the Sailors he meets all over the nation. However, he agrees that Sailors need to take the program seriously in order to see positive results.

The Save a Life Tour will continue to educate Sailors around the nation. The next stop is Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. For more information visit www.savealifetour.com.

For more news from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, visit www.navy.mil/local/nasjrbfw/.