Law enforcement partners with Tyndall for safe driving and boating lessons

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - You are never too old to get a road safety lesson. So on Wednesday Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Tyndall Air Force Base joined forces to provide driving and boat safety tips.

“These Airmen come from all over the country and all over the world and one of the big things that are important to me especially is making sure everyone knows the rules here locally,” Tech. Sergeant Caleb Tarr said.

Rules mentioned Wednesday included ensuring your seatbelt is always buckled when you enter a vehicle. FHP even brought a simulator to show what happens if you buckle vs if you do not in a roll-over crash.

“As elementary as it sounds, it is a tool used to educate seat belt use. I know it is a requirement for the Federal Government and Air Force Base as it is for us. So it is just a reinitiating the education on wearing your seat belt; it saves your life,” Jason King with FHP said.

Seatbelt safety was one of many lessons taught Wednesday.

FHP put together an obstacle course for the Tyndall Airmen to go through. They provided them with DUI goggles and a bike. Their task was to try to go through cones without hitting them.

The activity simulates what it would be like to drive under the influence.

“You have a fun experience of this. It is what it kind of feels like to be intoxicated and we hope you don’t do this on the roadway,” King said.

Along with a DUI lesson, FWC gave a lesson on Boating Under the Influence or BUI’S.

“We are just here to educate people on how to boat safely. We know that people love to boat in Panama City it is a great place for it. However, we have to do it safely. It is not like in a vehicle where you can’t have alcohol in a vehicle. You can have alcohol in a vessel however you do have to have a designated driver as well,” Nicole Basford, Senior Officer Specialist FWC, said.

Wednesday was all about everyone having fun but also learning at the same time, as well as the partnership between law enforcement and the base.

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