MANSFIELD — Driving a vehicle impaired is not only dangerous, but it could be fatal. Seven area school districts saw the ramifications of a drunk driving dramatization Tuesday morning at the Richland County Fairgrounds.
The annual event dramatized events for students from Clear Fork, Lexington, Lucas, Mansfield Senior, Plymouth, St. Peter’s and Shelby high school juniors and seniors as prom and graduation swings into play.
This was the 28th mock crash put on by the 4-H program of Richland County and law enforcement. The crash skit has been seen by more than 42,000 students since it’s debut in 1990.
“It’s about post-prom time,” said Judy Villard Overocker, director of the 4-H Program in Richland County. “We actually have one car coming home after prom — having a great time. They are doing the dancing and the laughing. Then in the the other car we have students who decided to ditch the prom and they are out having a good time. They started their party early.
“They’ve had some alcohol and some prescription drugs. The one car that’s coming from the prom — they are having such a good time they distract their driver.”
In the mock crash, there were two deaths. All six were injured in one way or another because they were not wearing seat belts.
Overocker said showing the students the mock crash each year is an important reminder not to be distracted while driving, intoxicated or otherwise.
“This is an event in which it is fictitious,” Law director Jon Spon said to the student audience before the mock crash began. “And yet it can be very powerful. Somewhere in there, with all of these special nights, this will not be a fictitious night. It will be a reality. A law enforcement officer will be telling a parent their son or daughter was killed.
“This is to be a reminder and a wake up call to driving irresponsibly.”
Overocker said the event is a great way to have the lessons taught in a classroom become more vivid, more memorable.
“These young people have probably been through countless programs in their health class — law enforcement coming into their classroom and talking to them, the importance of ‘Don’t drink and drive,’ ‘Wear a seatbelt,’ and all these things,” she said. “They listen and they hear it, but seeing it and seeing the consequences is really an eye opener.
“They have probably never seen a serious crash or fatalities from a crash that happens. I think one of the striking things is at the end when the two who died are carried out. As they walk out today they’ll pass a mock funeral.
“I think this is a first time for these students to see their peers in a serious crash. These are not adults, these are not actors. I think that makes an impact on them.”
