Payson High School’s Mock Crash Event Brings Reality to Students
Cpl. Justin Cheney with the Utah Highway Patrol spent nearly four months putting this mock event in motion and says the impact it leaves is well worth the time and energy it takes to bring it all together. “We had so much help in putting this together, it really made a huge difference in making the scene so real,” said Cheney. “We had Payson City Police and Fire on scene, Air-med, who carried off students critically injured in the crash, Judd’s Towing who provided the cars, Walker Mortuary who donated the use of two caskets for our funeral, Utah County Health Department, Gemily Haymore (make-up artist) and several others all helped to make this all happen.”
Cheney said they had two simulated crash scenes, one where they had three girls who were part of the distracted driving scenario and three boys in the other vehicle who were in the impaired driving vehicle. “It was really surreal for the students, we had pre-recorded messages, conversations that were happening as the students were driving in their cars and with the help of the student council we were able to provide conversations that could really take place,” said Cheney. “The boys were talking about trying alcohol for the first time, making the impaired driving more of an innocent mistake rather than an intentional drunk driving situation because the students used in the simulation were not known for being drinkers. The girls conversations were more about things that distract students from driving safely when they are out with friends.”
The scene even showed two students who’s injuries were fatal. Both, covered in white sheets, felt the impact their deaths would have on family and friends. “It was mortifying and quite scary to think this could happen to any of us. It was just really sad,” said Brayden Hiatt, a member of Payson High Student Council and one of the fatalities on the crash. He said that even his parents attended the mock crash and while he was laying under the sheet he realized how something so preventable could change all their lives. “I had a lot of his peers come up to me afterwards and tell me they would never drink and drive,” he said.
Their teacher and adviser over the student council Melisa Brotherson said this was a very somber experience for everyone involved. “We completed the mock event with a funeral,” she said. “The two students involved had already written their obituaries. It was important for our students to go through the funeral to understand the depth of the tragic circumstances,” said Brotherson. She also said that it is a pretty small school, and the students all know each other, which made the event more profound. “The tragic consequences of drinking and driving, distracted driving and the combination of not wearing your seatbelts has an effect on everyone and I think that may have finally sunk in.”
Cheney said the Utah Highway Patrol selects a different school each year, they realize that distracted driving and not wearing seatbelts can be a bigger problem in rural communities. Last year they did their mock event at Salem Hills High. “We know the impact this has on the students lasts a lifetime. It leaves a visual impression in their minds that lasts a lot longer than just telling them to wear their seatbelts and not to text or drink and drive,” said Cheney.
He recalled being told about a real crash where students luckily had all been wearing their seatbelts, and survived. All the students had seen the mock event at their school. “I definitely feel that helped impact those students and they choose to do the right thing because of it. This is my passion and that’s why I do this, to help save lives, it is definitely worth all the time and effort involved, we cannot put a price on saving the life of any of our kids,” said Cheney.
“I hope by spreading the word the other school districts will understand how important this in the effort to saving the lives of our youth from tragic, yet preventable accidents like these.”
Thank You is just not enough,to these dedicated men and women who put themselves in harms way on a daily basis!
Then further prove their commitment to our safety by putting forth this huge effort, again on our behalves.
Sincerely Thank-You!
Judy A