WARSAW — A community team of first responders, many of them CSEA members who work for the Village of Warsaw Police Department, created and held an automobile crash simulation for high schoolers to educate them on the dangers of driving distracted or under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The mock demonstration took place June 3 outside Warsaw High School, complete with student actors, crashed vehicles, fire personnel, police officers, ambulances, a hearse and a windy visit from a Western New York Mercy Flight helicopter. More than 140 high school students attended the simulation.
Kelly
The program was spearheaded by CSEA Village of Warsaw Police Department Unit member Scott Kelly, who is not only a village police officer but works as the Warsaw Central School District’s School Resource Officer.
“We wanted to hold this demonstration to illustrate to our students there are real-life, deadly consequences when you choose to drink and drive,” said Kelly.
Kelly said putting the car crash simulation together was a team effort, involving many students and local agencies, including the Village of Warsaw Police Department, the local fire department, the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney. Several of the volunteers and emergency public service workers who helped make the demonstration a memorable experience were CSEA members who live and work in the Wyoming County area.
In the simulated car accident, student actors with fake blood and injuries were put on stretchers and taken to the hospital. A driver was given a field sobriety test and arrested while a front seat passenger laid motionless on top of a car hood.
The passenger student who was ejected through the windshield was eventually pronounced dead by a medical examiner and was transported to the county morgue.
Kelly said the objective of the demonstration had to be “real-life” and graphic as possible, to drive home a sobering message of making smart decisions.
“Our students should know they have the power to make good decisions and prevent accidents before they occur, especially when it comes to driving responsibly,” Kelly said. “I think this program accomplished that, so I am grateful.”
A risky time
The simulation happened during a particularly risky time of year for young drivers.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, from 2010 to 2019, more than 7,000 people have died in automobile crashes involving teen drivers during a time period the foundation calls “100 Deadliest Days,” which runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The foundation also noted that teen drivers ages 16-17 are three times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash compared to adults.
One of the major reasons for the increased number of teen driver accidents is that young people tend to have more unstructured time during the summer months. Top reasons for the accidents include inexperience, distracted driving, speeding and alcohol use.
— Ove Overmyer
