Mock DWI crash held by TRACTION at youth traffic safety event

Beau Nations ~ Southeast Missourian

Friday, June 10, 2022

On Friday, TRACTION, teens taking action to prevent traffic crashes, presented a mock DWI crash to high school students from six schools including Oran, Lesterville, Leopold, Jackson, Twin Rivers and New Madrid. TRACTION is a state-wide program sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Department of Transportation and the Cape Girardeau Police Department. The students present were a part of the youth traffic safety leadership training conference held at the Drury Plaza Hotel Cape Girardeau Conference Center. The event is held to inform and prevent youth from driving impaired after 55 fatal crashes occurred from 2019 to 2021, ending the lives the 63 people. The program is "committed to empowering youth to promote safe driving habits, while preventing underage drinking, impaired driving and driver inattention."

The mock DWI crash included two vehicles and four passengers after one of the drivers decided to leave a party after drinking instead of waiting on a designated driver to arrive. The passengers (performers) were actors from local high schools and the vehicles were provided by Junior Sinn Auto Parts, LLC. in Cape Girardeau. (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)
The student performers react after a mock DWI crash occurs as local students look on. Officers from the Cape Girardeau Police Department arrived shortly after to "arrest" the intoxicated driver. (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)
Students from six high schools watch the mock DWI presentation during the youth traffic safety leadership training conference, which took place from June 9 to 11. Each student wore a team color during the conference to represent their school. (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)
A student actor is "arrested" by an officer from CGPD as another reacts to the aftermath of the mock crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32 people in the United States die in drunk-driving accidents everyday, one person every 45 minutes. (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)

Members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department use hydraulic spreader-cutters, or the "jaws of life", to remove the door of the vehicle to gain access of the driver at the mock DWI crash on Friday. (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)
Firefighters from CGFD remove the roof of the vehicle as emergency medical technicians (EMT) from Cape County Private Ambulance service await to place the driver of the vehicle on a stretcher. (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)
EMT's roll the driver of the vehicle on a stretcher to the ambulance on-site of the mock accident on Friday. In, 2020, 11,654 people died in alcohol-impaired driving deaths, according to the NHTSA. (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)
Missouri State Highway Patrol Officer Sgt. Clark D. Parrott speaks to the students about the dangers of impaired driving. Parrott reminded the students to always wear a seatbelt and never drive impaired or distracted, whether it be through the use of a substance or texting while driving. (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)
Members from the Cape Girardeau County Coroner's Office arrive at the mock DWI crash to remove the body of the the student actor who "perished" in the drunk driving accident. If you or someone you know suffers from a substance abuse problem contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (Beau Nations ~ bnations@semissourian.com)