HOBART Hobart High School students shared a lot of laughs and learned some sobering lessons about the dangers of drunk driving during a recent exercise sponsored by the Hobart Police Department's DARE program.

The annual "Fatal Vision" program involves juniors and seniors donning special goggles that simulate how the world looks to someone impaired by drugs or alcohol. The students then attempt to drive a golf cart through an obstacle course of bright orange pylons set up on the school's front lawn.

According to DARE officer Lt. Jack Grennes, "We like to do this right before prom. We get some good feedback from the kids. It gives them a chance to interact with us in a positive way." Hobart's prom will be held May 2.

Putting on her goggles, junior Becky Snemis exclaimed, "I can't see out of these," to which her ride-along police escort joked, "Put those on, and don't kill me." After obliterating a few cones during the drive, Snemis said, "I'm never going to do this in real life. You see things quadruple, not even double."

Asked if the simulation taught her anything, she responded, "Oh yeah!"

Sophomore Courtney Metz had a similar reaction. "I think that I will never, ever drive drunk. That was the hardest thing ever. It was ridiculously hard to drive," she said.

Business teacher Laura King watched as her students weaved their way through the course. "Hopefully, it will open their eyes to how impaired they can become...make them think twice before getting behind the wheel," King said.

On the lighter side, the program has provided a few anxious moments in years past. Standing in front of the lawn's brick and shrub landscaping, Lt. Grennes recalled that a couple of years ago, "We had one (driver) go on this landscaping and about tip over."

The students also tried to kick a rolling soccer ball while wearing the goggles, with most failing to come close. "It was like everything close was really big and everything far was really small," said sophomore Nick Dahlen.

Added senior Jeremy Coons, "That was pretty crazy."