OHS Students Mock Accident Drives Home The Danger Of Impaired Driving
Emergency personnel and high school students put on a mock accident every year to warn of impaired driving.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – It’s difficult to think of what the consequences could be for driving home impaired after a celebration.
OHS students presented a mock accident, assisted by area first responders and more.
The Oskaloosa Fire Department is one of those groups of first responders that takes part, year after year. They are there with their power equipment, realistically extracting the injured from real cars.
Paramedics from Mahaska Health Partnership arrive to treat the injured, while law enforcement investigates the accident scene.
Injured individuals are rushed off to the hospital, while those responsible for the accident are arrested.
A powerful moment happens as students cry out for their deceased friends to come back. Representatives from a funeral home arrive to retrieve the bodies of the deceased.
A funeral is then held, a casket, flowers, and words remembering the lives of those lost.
The moment brings emotions forward, and the message is delivered to be responsible and to not drive impaired.
Oskaloosa Fire Chief Mark Neff said he and his staff participate, “to educate youth, and adults for that matter, on the consequences that come from impaired driving, whether it be impaired driving or distracted driving. Texting and driving is a real problem right now. Not even just texting, just scrolling through Facebook, trying to read an email, and it’s not just kids doing it.”
Firefighters are there to rescue individuals when those crashes happen. Oskaloosa News asked Neff if he believes that the mock accident is effective in helping people understand the impact and consequence of driving impaired.
” I think it is. I mean, anything we can do. If we can reach just one individual, that’s a benefit right? Hopefully, we reach more than that,” said Neff.
Mike Sytsma, Funeral Director for Bates Funeral Chapel, has been a part of the program since 1998 when he was a senior at Oskaloosa High School.
Sytsma said he’s a part of the mock accident because “it’s effective.”
“I’ve worked in town for 20 years, and so the amount of alcohol-related teen deaths that we’ve had has been few, and I think this has an impact,” added Sytsma.
