Video: A Deadly Crash Demo For Teens

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – High-schoolers from across Winston County, get a first hand experience of what can happen as a result of distracted driving.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol and AirCare partners up with the schools to educate juniors and seniors on the importance of safe driving.

MHP and first responders reenacted a deadly car crash to give teens an inside look at what can happen when you get behind the wheel and don’t pay attention.

It’s the toughest part of a troopers job, knocking on a door to tell a parent their child won’t be coming home.

On Thursday, students got a glimpse of what that moment is like.

“The importance of it is doing awareness and education so they can make the decision first, instead of us having to, to be proactive instead of reactive. That’s the only way we’re going to make a dent in distracting driving,” says MHP Troop G Master Sgt. Criss Turnipseed.

Troopers, first responders, and student actors were all part of a very realistic car crash that left one going to jail and two going to the morgue, including Rayvyn Wagner.

“He was drunk and he didn’t listen to us and he got on the wrong side of the road and consequences happen.”

Her mock death shows students the reality of a parent’s worst nightmare.

“It opened my eyes a lot because I’ve never experienced the jaws of life and it was like very nerve-racking going through it and I think it’s like a wake up reminder for kids out there, who try to drink and try to drive,” says Wagner.

The very real scene also gave teens an idea of what it’s like for the first ones on the scene.

“If something happens out on the road, it’s the people you see here, in this room, that have to deal with the consequences. They were more than willing to get out here and you know, do their jobs and display and demonstrate to these young people what they do in effort that it might impact, maybe change some of their minds about decisions they make,” says Turnipseed.

This high-schooler says the reenactment makes him realize that this can happen to anyone.

“You get in your car or vehicle and you just think well, you know, I can get on my phone, I can play on it. I’ve never had a wreck. I’ve never done anything wrong and you just start to think it’s not going to happen to me, but it happens every day,” says Coley Taylor.

The event took six months to plan.

Turnipseed said the support of the community and county made it all possible.

AirCare was also suppose to be involved in the crash scene, but couldn’t because they were actually dealing with a real patient emergency.