Pine Bush High School hosted a mock crash this morning, Friday, April 25, bringing awareness to the importance of making good decision and the potentially devastating effects of driving while impaired or distracted.

 

 

As our juniors, many of whom will be attending the prom tonight, walked out to the rear parking lot of the building, they saw a staged accident scene with a fatality. The driver of the vehicle at fault was a student who was impaired.

 

 

 

Town of Crawford Police Chief Dominic Blasko narrated the scene. He explained that living in a rural area as we do here in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties, it will take emergency responders seven to 12 minutes to get to the scene of an accident. That time, he said, is a matter of life and death.

 

 

After the mock crash, the juniors went back into school to hear Chris Devitt, a man who, as a 19-year-old, was responsible for the death of one of his friends due to driving while intoxicated and excessive speed. His life changed dramatically after that night in January 2006, and he shared his story poignantly with the students.

 

We thank all of the volunteers who helped make today’s mock crash possible.