Hollister Juvenile Hall was the first stop for the Beer Goggle
Olympics, which allows teenagers to put on fatal vision goggles and
do activities to see what it’s like being intoxicated and trying to
complete tasks.
Hollister Juvenile Hall was the first stop for the Beer Goggle Olympics, which allows teenagers to put on fatal vision goggles and do activities to see what it’s like being intoxicated and trying to complete tasks.
The activity was put on by the San Benito County Behavioral Health Services’ Substance Abuse Prevention Program, the Hollister Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office and the San Benito County Probation Department.
Fifteen juvenile hall kids participated in the activity Monday afternoon.
There were five stations for the kids. Being placed into groups, each minor went to each of the sessions. Kids got to do basketball, walking in a straight line, badminton, dart throwing and driving a remote-control car.
Kids first tried doing the activities without the goggles, then with the fatal vision goggles, so they saw the difference. Without the goggles kids made make basketballs into the hoop. With the goggles on, the ball went to the left when the kids thought they were throwing the ball right toward the hoop.
Trying to walk a straight line sober seemed easy, but once the goggles were put on, kids weren’t walking so straight and some tumbled. And many cones were run over while they tried to drive a remote-control car.
The goggles have three different settings: low, which is equivalent to two drinks; moderate, which equals four drinks; and high, which means someone is stumbling.
Before the activities started, the kids watched two videos about the consequences of drinking and driving.
California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Armstrong said he hopes the kids now understand what impairment means. He also liked that the kids paid attention and participated in each session, he said.
“It’s pretty crazy how much (alcohol) messes you up,” Armstrong said.
