diff --git a/src/game/level.gd b/src/game/level.gd
index 91bdb7e..8cdbf82 100644
--- a/src/game/level.gd
+++ b/src/game/level.gd
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ extends Node2D
 @export var shrink_factor := .1
 ## the diefference between the track's width and the maximum distance of the car from the center of the track. Should be about half the width of the car
 @export var max_distance_offset := .5
+## minimum distance traversed in a single frame to be counted as cheese
+@export var cheese_distance := 500
+## margin for error when checking for laps being driven
+@export var lap_count_margin := 50
 
 #references
 ## reference to the path describing the track
@@ -18,6 +22,8 @@ extends Node2D
 #variables
 var width
 var running = true
+var last_offset = 0.
+var lap_distance = 0.
 
 # Called when the node enters the scene tree for the first time.
 func _ready():
@@ -29,20 +35,43 @@ func _ready():
 # Called every frame. 'delta' is the elapsed time since the previous frame.
 func _process(delta):
 	if (running):
+		# shrinking the track
 		width -= shrink_factor * delta
 		update_line()
 		
+		# checking whether the player is still on the track
 		var p_pos = player.position
 		var closest = path.curve.get_closest_point(p_pos)
 		var p_dist = (p_pos - closest).length()
-		print_debug(" distance from track center: ", p_dist, " current track width: ", width)
+#		print_debug(" distance from track center: ", p_dist, " current track width: ", width)
 		if p_dist > width/2 - max_distance_offset:
 			game_over()
+		
+		# counting the distance driven
+		var offset = path.curve.get_closest_offset(p_pos)
+		var off_diff = offset - last_offset
+		if off_diff > 0:
+			if off_diff > path.curve.get_baked_length() - lap_count_margin && off_diff < path.curve.get_baked_length() + lap_count_margin:
+				print_debug("subtracting a lap")
+				lap_distance -= path.curve.get_baked_length()
+			else: if off_diff > cheese_distance:
+				print_debug("cheese detected")
+				game_over()
+			last_offset = offset
+		if off_diff < 0:
+			if -off_diff < path.curve.get_baked_length() + lap_count_margin && -off_diff > path.curve.get_baked_length() - lap_count_margin:
+				print_debug("adding a lap")
+				lap_distance += path.curve.get_baked_length()
+			last_offset = offset
+#		print_debug("player distance driven: ", get_total_distance(), " distance since last check: ", off_diff)
 
 
 func update_line():
 	line.set_width(width)
 
+func get_total_distance():
+	return lap_distance + last_offset
 
 func game_over():
+	print_debug("final score: ", get_total_distance())
 	get_tree().reload_current_scene() #temp