Spring is prom season for high schools, and many teens get into trouble, accidents, or even die from drinking and driving. In the hopes of preventing incidents on prom night, Arab students got a lesson on the dangers of drinking and driving.
A mock wreck was organized to show what it's like to be in a drunk driving accident. Organizers of the event said every 15 minutes, someone is killed by drunk driving.
In advance of prom, a mock two-vehicle accident took place in front of Arab High School on Monday.
Channing Simmons is a student at Arab High School. For Simmons, the demonstration was more than just a drill.
"As of recently, there was a friend of mine that was in a car accident that was killed, and seeing it has made it all real," said Simmons.
Dr. John York is one of the organizers of the event. They wanted the demonstration to be as real as possible, so they used actual students. Dr. York hoped that if it feels real to the students, the message will stick.
"What we want these children to do is realize when they're behind the wheel of a car, they really need to give it their full attention," said York.
Organizers wanted to stress the risk of death, so some of the roles portrayed by the teens showed they will not get to live.
The grim reaper showed up to some class rooms. He took some of the students participating in the mock wreck. Those students portrayed roles of students who die. Dr. York said the organizers had a plan to make the mock deaths feel real.
"They will have no cell phone contact, no computers, no contact with family members. We want this to be as real for these 20 children as it can be," said York.
The demonstration did not end on Monday. A mock funeral will be held on Tuesday for the students whose roles died in the mock wreck.
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Arab High School students got a lesson on drunk driving with a mock wreck.
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