Mock accident shows students the dangers of drunk driving | News

ELLSWORTH, Maine (NEWS CENTER) --- Juniors and seniors at Ellsworth High School got an up close look at the dangers of drunk driving Tuesday afternoon as area first responders worked with the student body to stage a mock car crash outside of the school.

Students were called out to look at the crash at around noontime. In the mock scene, two people died in the crash, another two people were injured and the driver of one of the cars was arrested for drinking and driving.

All five people in the accident were students at the high school simply playing roles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 30 people in the U.S. die each day in alcohol related crashes. Organizers say while the mock crash is a tough act to show it is necessary for students to see.

"Being a firefighter, I'm always afraid that it's going to one of my friends on the side of the road in a car accident and I'm going to have to help," said Jeremy Ogden, who is a junior at the high school and hlped organize the event, "and if I could save one person's life or prevent them from getting injured..that's the whole goal of this program."

Every two years about 50 Ellsworth high school students take part in organizing the mock crash.