North Hills High School will be holding a mock crash on Friday, May 13.
The purpose of the event, scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., is to remind students that decisions come with consequences and those consequences could be life-altering, impacting not only them but those who care about them.
“High school students have their whole lives in front of them, and every decision they make is important; no matter how small,” said SADD sponsor and teacher at the high school Michelle Medic. “We want the students to take the lessons presented in the mock crash and embrace their future.”
The mock crash, resulting from a drunk driver, will be played out in real time with first-responders and paramedics arriving on the scene and later, a LifeFlight helicopter landing on the hilltop campus. Community members should be aware of this scheduled mock crash and remember on Friday morning that there is no true emergency at the high school.
Participating agencies include Ross and West View police, Ross/West View EMS, the Laurel Gardens Volunteer Fire Department, Allegheny Health Network, Mazur's Towing and the Passavant Hospital Foundation.
Prior to the crash, students will hear presentations on the dangers of distracted and drunk driving from Ross Township Police patrol officer Albert Elway and North Hills High School English teacher Peter Heil, who lost a family member in a drunk driving crash.
Every 15 Minutes Program
Also on Friday, May 13, students will also be participating in the "Every 15 Minutes Program."
The program, appropriately named to signify that someone in the United States dies in a distracted or impaired driving crash every 15 minutes, is a powerful educational experience that brings the dangers associated with driving while distracted or impaired to the forefront.
Every 15 minutes, a student at the high school will “die” and be silenced and given a black t-shirt to wear for the reminder of the day in place of someone who has died at the hands of a drunk or distracted driver.