August 2,
2008: The U.S. Army developed a
simulator to show troops how to escape from an overturned vehicle. This has
saved hundreds of lives. A major cause of casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan
has been vehicle accidents. These happen because of lots of cross country,
night and high-speed driving. The locals are not known for safe driving
practices either.
A "quick
escape" window was invented for hummers and trucks, but there was no way to
train troops on how to use it, and other techniques for escaping an overturned
vehicle that is either in the water, about to explode or under enemy fire. So
the HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer was developed. This device looks like a flight simulator, or
the forward part of a hummer without wheels, and a lot of hydraulics underneath
to make the vehicle part roll over. Troops can spend 10-20 minutes in the
device, and get some highly realistic, and potentially lifesaving, training on
what to do when the time comes. The trainer has received lots of testimonials
from users who later were involved in a rollover.