EHS prepares for mock auto crash by teens drinking and driving
Nancy Horst
Friday, April 11, 2008
Emporia High School, in cooperation with a group of community agencies, is planning an event that organizers hope will motivate students to make safe and healthy choices.
On April 29, students will be invited to attend a mock crash involving teenagers who were driving under the influence. The accident will be staged on the EHS practice field during seminar, starting at 9:30 a.m. It will be an optional activity for students.
The goal is to help educate students about the importance of making safe decisions about alcohol use, and to show them how law enforcement and medical personnel work an actual accident situation, according to the organizers.
EHS theater students will fill the roles of drivers, passengers, witnesses and narrators.
The program is sponsored by Emporia High School , EHS Theater Department, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, Emporians for Drug Awareness, and EHS SADD Club (Students Against Destructive Decisions).
Participants include representatives of the Emporia Police Department, Emporia Fire Department, Lyon County Sheriff’s Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, Newman Regional Health, Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home and Flint Hills Music.
As a follow-up to the mock DUI car crash, organizers have invited Layne Sinks to talk about his experience in a drunk-driving crash. At age 19, as a student at Butler County Community College, he was a passenger in a car driven by a friend who had been drinking.
Students may attend Sink’s program during seminar on May 1. Parents are invited to a program at 7 p.m. May 1 in the EHS Library. His presentation is sponsored Farm Bureau Insurance, Dave Hugg; Longbine Auto Plaza; Mark II Lumber; Newman Regional Health; Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home; State Farm Insurance, Vicki Burnett and Pete Euler; and Williams Automotive.
For more information, call Steve Turner at EHS, 341-2365.
Absolute (anonymous) says...
Has there ever been any research has to whether this sort of demonstration actually reduces teen drinking and driving. I know when I was in high school it didn't at all. In fact, one of the actors in the presentation was drinking and driving later that same night.
I just wonder if it is a good use of our resources.
April 11, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
old_soldier (anonymous) says...
Yes there has. Your assumptions are correct as far as the research goes. I am still hopefull that maybe a few will think of this someday and avoid making a bad decision.
April 13, 2008 at 6:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )