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SALEM — Students at Salem Hills High School got an attention-grabbing lesson Friday on just how serious a crash can be.
To drive home the importance of safe driving, the Utah Highway Patrol and the high school staged a drunken driving head-on crash to make an impression on the young drivers.
"It kind of opened my eyes to how much more gruesome it is," said Kayla Christensen, a senior who played one of the victims in the re-enactment, complete with realistic makeup of a serious head wound.
It was a mock crash, and only the quick response from the police, ambulances and helicopter played out in real time. It was likely the most realistic crash re-enactment these students will ever see, complete with the jaws of life and two airlifts of victims.
Here's the scenario: Two teenage boys drinking and driving slam head-on into a car carrying three teenage girls. One of the girls, who wasn't buckled in, dies when she goes through the windshield. One of the boys dies when his head hits the windshield.
"If we can get people to see what we see, I think it will help them change their driving behavior," said Cpl. Justin Cheney of the Utah Highway Patrol.
I think a lot of people think it won't happen to them. I think this is something personal.
–Walker Van Tassell
The entire student body watched as one of their classmates was given a field sobriety test. The principal estimated two-thirds of them drive. The scenario gave the students an intimate view of the pain and carnage they might witness in a real car crash.
"It's one thing to drive by a crash and see what you can see from the road," said Cheney. "It's another thing to be up close."
Utah highway fatalities are down 41 percent over the last 13 years. But in 2012, state numbers show that driving under the influence caused 45 fatalities, 161 serious injuries and more than 1,812 crashes.
"I think a lot of people think it won't happen to them," said Walker Van Tassell, a senior who played one of the crash victims. "I think this is something personal."
He knows how quickly a crash can happen. He rolled a truck on an icy road, and it changed his mindset.
"It could have been worse than what it was," he said. "For me, it hit home: drive the speed limit, be careful in bad weather conditions, and buckle up."
The Utah Highway Patrol thinks peer influence, after seeing a presentation like this, can help save lives, too.
"I understand that it's more serious than people take it to be," said Christensen. "It's not like the movies. So, people need to learn to drive safely."
Cheney said there's no way to measure exactly how many people they impressed with this exercise. But they're sure that they changed the minds of several young drivers.
"We see that kind of stuff on a daily basis," said Cheney. "We're always telling people buckle up, buckle up. But a ton of people still don't do it. Unfortunately, this is the end result a lot of times."
