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Last updated 9:56 am CT February 09, 2010.
Mock Crash Teaches Students about Safe Driving
They hosted a mock crash for more than 600 students.
Texting kills; it's a tough lesson to learn and one that's even harder to watch.
"Everything looks so horrible, it's amazing this stuff actually does happen" says senior, Ashley Wooley.
Students from Trico, Murphysboro and Steeleville observed as classmates acted out the horrifying scene; a deadly crash caused by a combination of drinking and texting.
The distraction is so high the term 'intexticated' is used to refer to drivers who text on the road.
Students pretended to be trapped inside the vehicle forcing officials to cut them free.
Others who required medical attention were air lifted and some mock victims were pronounced dead on scene.
It's a sight first responders say is all too familiar.
"This was almost as real as you can get without it actually being the real thing" says Deputy Mark Wilson with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.
Crash coordinators hope the graphic experience is a memorable lesson for students.
"You can talk and talk but it doesn't make too much sense until you really see what can happen" says Pat Brockmeyer.
It seems the lesson is already having an impact.
"I'm certainly not going to be in a crash like this. I know exactly what to do and what not to do" says 6th grader Gibson Westerman.
A state grant funded the mock crash at Trico.
By: Christen Craig
ccraig@wsiltv.com
Now: 1265731505
