Mock car crash at Sparta High School drives home lesson never to drink and drive
SPARTA, Wis. (WKBT) – Emergency vehicles and a helicopter surrounded Sparta High School Tuesday, but not for an emergency.
With the high school’s prom coming up this weekend, four students took part in a mock car crash.
Before students head to the big dance, first responders want to remind students never to drink and drive on prom night — or any night.
“It looked way too real,” senior Soleil Konze said. “It definitely opened my eyes a lot.”
For this simulation, Konze had too much to drink and crashed into another car, killing her passenger.
“And this gash on my head is from the ‘steering wheel,'” Konze said.
Konze says police took her through a sobriety test.
“I’m not going to lie — it was actually hard for me to do completely sober,” Konze said.
Police also measured her blood alcohol content, which she says was a 0.15 — almost double the legal limit before “arresting” her.
“It wasn’t fun,” Konze said. “The handcuffs were not comfortable at all.”
Emergency crews went through all the steps as if this were a real accident by cutting open car doors, and treating the students “injured” or “killed” in the crash.
“It’s pretty true to life as to what happens on scene,” Sparta Ambulance paramedic Nate Kenworthy said.
Kenworthy’s team trains for situations like this.
In his 13 years of experience, none of these incidents turn out well, he said.
“It’s always tragic,” Kenworthy said. “And it’s always like you hope these things are a reminder that bad things can happen if you don’t use your head.
A reminder to never drink and drive in any circumstance.
“I can that I will never get in the car with anybody that’s been drinking,” Konze said. “And I will never drive drunk, especially after this.”
Because driving sober is the best way to get home safely.
This was Sparta High School’s first mock crash since 2013, and school officials hope to do this type of event every other year from this point on.
Sparta Ambulance, police, firefighters, and Gundersen Air were among those at the school Tuesday.
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