North Hills seniors watched on as their peers took part in a mock crash on May 1, ahead of their prom the next day.
Held by the school’s SADD club, the mock crash presented seniors with the life-altering decisions that come from the effects of drunk and distracted driving.
The program began with an assembly, where Ross police officers Albet Elway and Robert Farina spoke to the students about the importance of making safe and responsible decisions behind the wheel, emphasizing the real-life consequences of impaired driving.
North Hills teacher Pete Heil delivered a personal and moving account of losing his brother to a drunk driver.
The event concluded with the outdoor crash simulation, narrated by Ross West View EMS supervisor Charles Reinert. Local first responders, police and selected North Hills SADD students re-enacted a realistic accident scene caused by an impaired driver.
“The mock crash was created to educate the youth about making good decisions,” SADD club sponsor Michelle Medic said. “I find if we can do something to impact them it’ll construct a long lasting impact and life lesson. One decision can alter your life and your family’s life.”
Seniors Ella Crowley and Noelle Copanzzi, members of SADD’s executive board, portrayed victims in the mock crash.
“I want to help spread awareness about the dangers of drunk driving,” Crowley said. “It’s one thing to hear about why it is bad but it’s another to physically watch it happen.”
Copanzzi portrayed the victim who dies.
“I think it’s important for people to be educated about drunk driving that can end fatally for yourself or others,” she said. “You’re not only putting yourself at risk but everyone else on the road. It is an incredibly selfish choice.”