Mock Crash at Oskaloosa High Delivers Powerful Lesson on Dangers of Impaired and Distracted Driving

OHS students experienced a mock crash this past week to help young people understand more about the importance of not driving impaired or distracted.

Oskaloosa, Iowa — A dramatic and emotional mock vehicle crash unfolded at Oskaloosa High School this week, offering students a deeply impactful reminder of the consequences of impaired and distracted driving. Staged just days before prom weekend, the simulation included student actors, emergency responders, a Life Flight helicopter, and realistic scenes of injury, arrest, and loss — all intended to drive home the importance of safe choices behind the wheel.

The event, which has been held annually since 1995, was led this year by Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Carrie Bihn and her peer helping class. Students portrayed victims, bystanders, and responders in a two-vehicle crash scenario where one vehicle was operated by an impaired driver. The simulation included fatalities, critical injuries, and an arrest.

Chief Deputy Ben Johnston of the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office emphasized the department’s long-standing commitment to the event.

“We at the Sheriff’s Office are always happy to help and be a part of this event,” Johnston said. “We feel it is extremely important to help create such a realistic experience for the students to help educate them about the dangers of driving under the influence and distracted driving.”

Johnston has a personal connection to the program, having participated as a student before later returning in uniform. “As a former student of Oskaloosa Schools, I participated in the event and played the role of the ‘drunk driver’. I remember being ‘arrested’ by Deputy Don DeCock, which years later, upon working with DeCock, became something special for him and me to remember.”

Retired Deputy Don DeCock and longtime educator Scottie Moore launched the mock accident initiative in 1995. Johnston has continued supporting the program through its transition to Bihn’s leadership, noting that, “Mrs. Moore had such a passion for the program and truly cared for all her students. I see similar traits in Mrs. Bihn. Mrs. Bihn’s efforts and dedication to the program and her students are truly remarkable.”

Officer Logan Nord of the Oskaloosa Police Department, who now serves as the school resource officer, also reflected on how the event has come full circle for him.

“It’s really weird,” Nord said, recalling his own experience watching the demonstration from the bleachers as a senior in 2016. “You go from not really paying attention or caring so much about the behind-the-scenes stuff to now being part of it — helping plan it, helping run it, and realizing how much impact it can have.”

Nord helped simulate the arrest of the impaired driver in this year’s scenario, a shift in procedure that put him on the front line of the presentation. “Once the students realized this person was ‘dead’ or being taken by Life Flight — and those were people they knew — the tone changed. There weren’t a lot of dry eyes,” he said.

This year marked the first time a Life Flight helicopter was incorporated into the demonstration — an addition that added weight to the scene. Students watched as a classmate was loaded into the aircraft, transported a short distance, and then returned for further medical simulation. The sound and presence of the helicopter created a moment that won’t soon be forgotten by those in attendance.

With participation from the Oskaloosa Police Department, Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office, Oskaloosa Fire Department, Mahaska Health EMS, and Mahaska County 911 Center, the event reflected the real-world coordination required in emergency responses.

Planned with careful attention to timing, student involvement, and community transparency, the mock crash aims to deliver a singular message: the choices made behind the wheel can change lives forever.