Realistically staged accident demonstrates deaths from drunk, distracted driving
Students from Mohawk High School witnessed a sobering scene Tuesday as six of their classmates were involved in a vehicle accident near their school.
Fortunately, the event was not real, the whole event staged for them as a learning experience called Every 15 Minutes.
The program, named for the reported time interval between deaths from an alcohol-related crashes, is designed to make young people think about the possible consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol or while distracted by a cell phone.
During the demonstration six volunteer students played the role of the injured while real-life first responders came to their rescue at a realistically staged accident scene set up in the parking lot of the old Mohawk Elementary School east of Springfield.
"Seeing our friends in the crash — people we hang out with — it is heartbreaking to see that this could actually happen," said Lucy Barrowcliff, 15, as she and 10 of her classmates, dressed in all black to represent people killed by alcohol-related accidents, watched.
The event was the work of a group of law enforcement officers, firefighters and volunteers from around Lane County. Two damaged vehicles were set together as if involved in a head-on collision. Students with realistic wounds sat inside.
As two buses arrived carrying about 100 students, a smoke grenade was set off. As the smoke obscured the scene the sound of radio traffic reporting the accident could be heard over police radio speakers.
Soon Lane County Sheriff Deputies and Springfield Police arrived with lights flashing and sirens howling from their vehicles, followed shortly by Mohawk Valley Rural Fire rescue personnel in several fire trucks. Responders quickly began extricating the victims from the vehicles, cutting the roof off of one, as the crowd watched quietly a few feet away.
Springfield Police Officer Matt Newton, dressed as the Grim Reaper and holding a scythe, stood silently near the accident scene as rescue personnel worked to free the victims.
A helicopter from Reach Air Medical Services arrived on scene landing on the nearby playground of the school to transport one of the simulated victims.
"Most of these kids, I have known since kindergarten — seeing this has a real impact," said Quentin Makinson, 17, after watching the event. "It makes you think about the decision you make and how it effects others."
As the drama unfolded, a student remained inside one of the vehicles. Rescue personnel could be seen draping the actor with a cloth, simulating that they had succumbed to their injuries. A hearse soon arrived to transport them from the scene.
"We want to show that real lives are being effected by impaired driving accidents," said Lane County Sheriff Sgt. Thomas Speldrich after overseeing the demonstration.
"If we can save one life the program will be worth it."
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Staged accident shows teens deaths from drunk, distracted driving
