Mock Crash Happening May 24, 2018
Cortland Senior High School will be conducting a Mock Crash for students in grades 11 and 12 on 5/24. We encourage you to reinforce laws, encourage safe driving habits and healthy decision making to help keep our students safe.Cortland High School doesn’t want the Class of 2018 to graduate with a crash. Cortland High students, teachers, City Police and Firefighters are conducting a mock crash at Cortland High school at 9:45 am on May 24, 2018. The mock crash aims to send a hard-hitting reminder of the dangers and consequences of unsafe driving behaviors such as impaired driving, distracted driving, not using seat belts and underage substance use.
We are reminding parents and adults in the lives of students the importance to talk to their teens to reinforce teen driving laws, to model safe behaviors and follow the laws regarding underage alcohol and substance use. “The district is committed to the health and wellbeing of our students through prevention education. Encouraging healthy behaviors and decision making skills when faced with risky health behaviors is essential to our health curriculum.” says Jill Pace, Health Education and Wellness coordinator for the district.
The mock crash has been scripted by the students in the First Aid and Safety health course. These students will also be the actors in this dramatic reality check. Along with being victims, they will employ the skills they learned in the course when responding to an emergency. “It is important for students to practice skills that they learned in the classroom. They will be more confident if ever in a real situation”, says Amy Johnson, high school health teacher and American Red Cross instructor for the course.
Mock crashes are a dramatic presentation to educate teenagers about the true consequences of poor driving decisions. The scene will be set for the students in grades 11 and 12 during a brief presentation before heading outside to watch the demonstration and learn how emergency responders conduct rescue efforts in real-time.
Participating in the event are personnel from the City of Cortland Fire Department, Cortland City Police Department, TLC Emergency Medical Services, Cortland County Department of Emergency Response and Communications, District Attorney office for Cortland County, NYS Police and Cortland High Students from the First Aid and Safety course.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28% of traffic related deaths are linked to drunk driving. Every day, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This is one death every 50 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $44 billion.
Six teen agers 16-19 die each day from motor vehicle crashes. Teens are more likely to underestimate the dangers of driving while impaired and statistically have the lowest rate of seatbelt use. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.
Graduation is a time of celebration. Pay attention to behaviors. Talk to teens about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking. Reinforce teen driving laws including seat belt use, night time driving and no texting or cell phone use. Celebrate their accomplishments and achievements with safety in mind. Congratulations Class of 2018 and here’s to looking at the Class of 2019!
