Mock crash warns HS seniors about drunken & distracted driving
MEDINA, Tenn. — Gibson County leaders portrayed a strong message to teens Wednesday morning.
“What we’re trying to do is get the message across to the students — the dangers of drinking and driving or distracted driving, texting, eating, putting your makeup on, anything that would distract them from driving,” Rhonda Casey with Gibson County Health said.
Wednesday morning, the health council and first responders gave high school seniors a realistic look at what distracted and drunken driving looks like. Moriah Kerfoot was one of the students who helped play the role of an injured passenger in the crash.
“It gives me the opportunity to sit down and talk to myself about what I was actually in this situation. This is what would actually be happening to me, only I would be in the real pain of all these injuries,” Kerfoot said.
Medina police say unfortunately, scenes like this aren’t uncommon.
“They think it, they’ve heard about it, some have been affected by it in the past, but it does. We work them all the time,” Medina Interim Police Chief Jason Oliver said.
With prom coming up this weekend and with high schoolers ready to celebrate graduation, organizers hope the message will stay with the teens.
“We hope that by doing this, we’re saving lives,” Casey said. “If we just save one life, we feel like what we’re doing is very well worth it.”
“We want them to realize there are people that care about them,” Interim Chief Oliver said. “That’s the reason we write citations. We work Medina extremely hard to help prevent some of this.”
“What we’re trying to do is get the message across to the students — the dangers of drinking and driving or distracted driving, texting, eating, putting your makeup on, anything that would distract them from driving,” Rhonda Casey with Gibson County Health said.
Wednesday morning, the health council and first responders gave high school seniors a realistic look at what distracted and drunken driving looks like. Moriah Kerfoot was one of the students who helped play the role of an injured passenger in the crash.
“It gives me the opportunity to sit down and talk to myself about what I was actually in this situation. This is what would actually be happening to me, only I would be in the real pain of all these injuries,” Kerfoot said.
Medina police say unfortunately, scenes like this aren’t uncommon.
“They think it, they’ve heard about it, some have been affected by it in the past, but it does. We work them all the time,” Medina Interim Police Chief Jason Oliver said.
With prom coming up this weekend and with high schoolers ready to celebrate graduation, organizers hope the message will stay with the teens.
“We hope that by doing this, we’re saving lives,” Casey said. “If we just save one life, we feel like what we’re doing is very well worth it.”
“We want them to realize there are people that care about them,” Interim Chief Oliver said. “That’s the reason we write citations. We work Medina extremely hard to help prevent some of this.”
