ARRIVING ON SCENE … Local firefighters roll up to the scene, calmly and efficiently getting ready to help save the victims.
REALITY CHECK … A deceased victim is covered up with a blanket to show students that death is a real possibility in these terrible circumstances.
(PHOTOS BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
HELP FROM ABOVE … Life Flight lands and the last victim is strapped into the stretcher before being whisked away to Mercy Health.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
It only takes a few seconds. A quick glance at your phone. A laugh shared with friends in the car. Changing a song – reaching to pick up something that you dropped. But in those few seconds, everything can change.
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of crashes among teens. In fact, nearly 58% of teen crashes involve some form of distraction.
According to the AAA Foundation, using a phone while driving is just as dangerous as driving blind for five seconds. That’s like going through the length of a football field without ever seeing the road.
The mock crash took place in the Williams County Fairground, with local high school seniors and juniors attending the event.
The crash was staged to take place on the intersection of County Road K and State Route 15 – a real place where crashes could happen.
The main purpose was to share what victims experience during and after a crash, and to open the eyes of students to the reality of life and death.
The Williams County Sheriff’s Department hosted this year’s event, with support from the Williams County Police Chiefs Association, Central Communications, Thompson Geesey Funeral Home, Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Williams County Health Department, Mercy Health Life Flight, and student actors.
This yearly tradition helps students realize that distraction has consequences, and the real danger it poses. Thanks to the collaboration of local partners, the mock fatal car crash made the message even more impactful.