8/22/2005
UK May Use Video Games To Test Driver’s Awareness
Posted Aug 21, 2005, 6:15 PM ET
by Ross Miller
Here is another crafty way that video games can be used to benefit society. In a effort to curb drowsy drivers who are not awake enough to stay on the road, police in the United Kingdom may soon be using portable gaming devices (not a Game Boy, something they design themselves) to perform roadside tests on sleep-impaired drivers. The “game” requires players to move a cursor around the screen in response to various road signs flashed on the screen. Which means John Q. Obsessive-Halo-Player could probably pass the test with his eyes closed; obviously, it is a far from perfect system.Be careful out there, though, because the penalty for failing this test will be £2500. So, next time you are driving while tired, be sure get some Pac-Man practice before you hit the road.
Here is another crafty way that video games can be used to benefit society. In a effort to curb drowsy drivers who are not awake enough to stay on the road, police in the United Kingdom may soon be using portable gaming devices (not a Game Boy, something they design themselves) to perform roadside tests on sleep-impaired drivers. The “game” requires players to move a cursor around the screen in response to various road signs flashed on the screen. Which means John Q. Obsessive-Halo-Player could probably pass the test with his eyes closed; obviously, it is a far from perfect system.Be careful out there, though, because the penalty for failing this test will be £2500. So, next time you are driving while tired, be sure get some Pac-Man practice before you hit the road.
