Fairfield Students Get Pre-Prom Warning Of Driving Dangers

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield Fire Department staged a junior pre-prom mock crash at Fairfield Warde High School on Friday morning, giving students a realistic look at the devastation of a deadly accident.

The Fairfield Fire Department staged a mock crash at Fairfield Warde High School.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Student actors portray injuries at the mock crash site.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Somber students watch the mock crash.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Mock crash actors injured inside and outside of the car.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

A police officer gives a field sobriety test.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Students watch the mock crash Friday morning.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Paramedics tend to a crash "victim."
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Kevin Dougherty of MADD speaks to the crowd.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Students are handed MADD bracelets.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Skip Pearlman

05/18/2015 5:30 a.m.

The demonstration was held a day before the school's Junior Prom.

"I thought it was extremely powerful," said Tom Scheller, a 17-year-old junior at Fairfield Warde. "It really gets at something our culture should think about. ... I think a lot of our students will take a lot away from that presentation. It's definitely an eye-opener.

"When I see that ... it's tough to imagine going through a real-life scenario like that. But I think that's really close (to real) -- and I think it, in a good way, frightens students. I know people who have been impacted by stuff like this, and the impact - I think - is greater than kids might think."

The Fairfield Fire Department held a similar demonstration on Thursday at Fairfield Ludlowe.

The annual demonstrations are hosted to illustrate the dangers of driving distracted or under the influence. Under the direction of Student Assistance Counselors Timothy Morris at Ludlowe and Stephanie Swist at Warde, student re-enactors rehearsed their roles for several weeks in advance of these mock crashes. preparing their performances as driver or passenger, bystander or patient.

Guest speakers spoke on personal experiences of the hazards of driving under the influence and its repercussions.

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