The accident in front of our eyes (Editorial)
The mock crash assembly showed the horrifying realities of drinking and driving.
May 2, 2014
The mock crash assembly that happened on May 1 hopefully convinced CHS students in 11th and 12th grade that it happened because we need to be safe on prom night.
The purpose of this assembly was to raise awareness of the dangers of driving and other areas such as DUI, distracted driving, and seatbelts. Teenagers have a habit of thinking, “It’ll never happen to me.”
During the assembly, the one officer stated, “People ask us what the hardest part of our job is, and this is not the hardest part. The hardest part is knocking on your parent’s door and telling them you have died. So don’t drink and drive after prom, or anytime at all. You think it won’t happen to you. But it can and it will, you just never know when.”
According to an Ezine article, “It is important to note that reckless driving accounts for a very major part of all vehicular accidents that occur in the US each year, about 70 percent to be exact.”
The reason this event was brought to CHS was not to amuse us; it is to scare us into being a safe driver.
Lawfirms said, “Teenagers are four times more likely to be killed in car accidents than any other age group.”
They also inform us, “beyond, statistics suggest that many teenagers are much more likely to ignore basic safety rules concerning speeding or seat belts (60 percent of all teenagers killed in a car accidents did not wear seat belts). Before getting into the car, teens should always: 1. Failing to yield, 2. Not adjusting to weather or darkness, 3. Tailgating, 4. Speeding and seat belt policies, 5. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
The point of this assembly is to convince CHS students to think before they do anything distracting while or before they drive. Also, never get into a car with a driver under the influence; it’s all up to you if you’re willing to put your life in the hands of a person who has no care in the world at the moment and thinks everything will be fine.
Justin Kretzing, a Safety Ed teacher at CHS stated, “These people standing behind me, have dealt with more people in car accidents than the people sitting in front of me right now. If you think I’m frustrated, I am. Because this same incident we showed you today happens every single day; and everybody has their own story to tell with each accident.”
If we don’t want this to happen to us, be the one to save a life and stop any accidents waiting to happen. Drinking and driving is a choice. Don’t be that person. And don’t let anybody be that person if you can stop it. Because your guardians do not want that knock on their door with the words behind the door, “Your child has died.”
Toni F • Oct 30, 2014 at 10:05 am
This assembly really opened up my eyes. I teaed up at some points. It shows what can happen in real life and it did a great job of showing it. I agree with the police officer that said the hardest part is knocking on the door of the family and saying sorry for you loss. I know many students who do think that it can’t happen to them. I couldn’t imagine me having to tell a family that their child is dead because of an action they took. The main reason this got to me was because just a few weeks before the mock crash came to school my cousin died in a car accident. Not because of drinking, but this showed the process that the police went though to my cousin when he passed.
Catherine Steffy • May 5, 2014 at 10:11 am
This assembly was amazingly realistic. It broke my heart and really opened up my eyes.