On any beautiful spring day, students at U.S. high schools are often subjected to the horrific scenes of mangled cars, shattered glass, emergency response teams, and bloody, near lifeless bodies. It is the season for the mock crash demonstrations. Graduation, proms, and the end of school often bring a heightened for teen DUIs. Countless resources, dollars, and time go into putting on these mock crash demonstrations in an effort to help curb drunk driving among our teens. But, is it working to curb drunk driving among our teens?
As terrifying as these scenes may appear to teenagers, some argue that they may not be all that effective. But according to a recent article in the Ft Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, some officials say the events, by themselves, have little impact, and that year-round efforts are essential Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) actually agrees, citing research that says these incredibly graphic images have a short-term effect. Within days, the scenes have left a teenager’s mind and they may resort back to destructive behavior.
Car crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths in the U.S. It is estimated that 1 out of 3 accidents involve alcohol. And the summer months are statistically shown to increase the risk of teenage drivers being involved in a deadly car crash. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the highest number of fatalities happens during the weekends of Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. For law enforcement, it’s called the 100 Deadly Days of Summer.
If mock car crashes are only a short-term deterrent, what should be done to help curb drunk driving among teenagers? If you ask the school administrators, counselors, or law enforcement responsible for setting up these crashes, they would most likely tell you that if the mock situation stops one crash or saves one teen, then the efforts are worth it. We fully agree.
Beyond the simulations, what else can we do to help deter teens from drinking and driving? SADD recommends going about it from a variety of angles, starting with evidence-based prevention programs. It starts with identifying the risk of an individual including peers, family, school, and community. Does the teen have impulse control, depression, low self-esteem or rebellious behavior? Does he or she have friends that are experimenting with drugs and alcohol, or do they come from a family of alcoholism or drug addiction? The organization encourages its chapter members to get involved by educating students and peers, driving school policy changes, collaborating with the community, and using billboards to warn students.
What are your thoughts? Have you seen a program in your area you thought was effective? How do you talk with your kids and teens about drinking and driving?
I think adullts need to be reminded of too many drinks and the dangers of driving.
i sure hope so!
We had an alumni speaker present at our high school who was a successful businessman and family man. He had a few after work and killed someone in an accident on the drive home. The story gave the entire gymnasium a chilling reality check. Still remember where I was sitting when I heard it.
Along with the statistics sited it’s also fact that underage alcohol related road incidents increase around Prom and Homecoming.
Lifeloc has direct and compelling evidence from schools that institute zero tolerance testing at school events (breathalyzer testing) that all alcohol related incidents are dramatically reduced to near zero.
Mock car crashes are quite jarring, but not enough. Education on this matter needs to be paramount in importance and a constant topic. These mock scenes affect deeply, but I feel that they don’t often stick long enough to make a huge difference. Just an opinion.
Thanks for the post.
If they had done this at my school, I would have been traumatized. I’m already afraid of cars, and struggle with depression and anxiety. It’s really messed up that so many schools do this without knowing how it will impact each individual in a student body. It may save one life, but how many kids will it traumatize in the long run? If other, less traumatic methods are effective in teaching safe practices, always go with those. Extravagance and drama aren’t the way to go. Kids see plenty of car crashes on television screens anyway. It’s no different. Teach safety. Don’t traumatize a bunch of kids.