Apex police said the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States is automotive accidents and 80 percent of those accidents are alcohol related.

Now the police department is doing something to help kids understand the dangers of drinking and driving.

Ryan Bouton hopped in his car, buckled his seatbelt and fastened his beer goggles tight. Then he began driving the Apex Police Department's DWI Simulator Cone Course. He started out on the right track.

"I put the goggles on and it was a lot harder to control," Bouton said.

But then the cones got in his way.

"Even though these kids are only 14-15 years old we wanted to give them a hands on experience," Officer Jason Stone said.

Kara Finneran also tried the course.

"I didn't have the right perspective," Finneran said.

And down went a few more cones.


"It wasn't that many, was it?" Finneran said.

Officer Jason Stone said authorities don't only look for drunk drivers who swerve all over the road, there are other dead give-aways.

"We look for someone who is using an unusual amount of focus and concentration for simple driving turns," Officer Stone said.

The students agree it's a challenging but great experience.


"I think it's really good and I think it will help a lot of us and I hope others will learn too," Finneran said.