Mock crashes steer students toward safe decisions
The scene was a grisly one in the parking lot of Peters Township High School Friday afternoon as students acted out the aftermath of a mock fatal car crash on prom night.
The mock crash is presented ahead of prom weekend every other year by the school’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club.
“They are students that really just want to point out there are consequences for any kind of destructive decision,” said Krysten Neff, a physics teacher at Peters Township High School and sponsor of the SADD club.
Because of inclement weather, most students stayed inside and watched a video put together by their classmates following the mock crash.
Justin Tornatore, a senior, portrayed one of the two students who “died” in the crash. Tornatore laid as though he had been partially ejected from a vehicle, with the upper half of his body on the hood of the car.
Tornatore hopes the video they produced influences his classmates to make smart decisions on prom night.
“I hope they take the message that your actions have consequences. Just because it’s a big night doesn’t mean you have to do anything crazy or reckless,” Tornatore said.
Peters Township High School’s prom is scheduled for May 24.
The mock crash was filmed by the high school’s media students, who rushed the footage inside to quickly edit.
Neff extended much credit to communications teacher Robin Hodgin-Frick for the efficiency of the production.
“I think that’s the biggest takeaway from this, our media department with Mrs. Frick is on fire,” Neff said. “I don’t know how she works her magic.”
Peters Township police, fire and EMS departments also took part in the mock crash. Firefighters extricated students from vehicles and loaded them onto stretchers. Police administered a sobriety test to the “driver” and then placed her under arrest.
“I think they’re just as excited to get the word out to high school kids. Especially because they are the ones that are susceptible to peer pressure and making these decisions. So they take this very seriously – the police, fire department and EMS. They use it as a tool for education, as well,” Neff said.
The state Department of Transportation, Highway Safety Network, AAA East Central and state police sponsored a similar mock crash at California High School Friday morning.
Students who are part of California’s SADD club also put together the scene of an accident caused by unsafe driving behavior. California police and fire departments, as well as Roscoe Fire Department, Brownsville EMS and Allegheny Health Network took part in the event.
After the mock crash, there was a “Teen Safe Driver Expo” to promote safe driving habits.