“Dear Mom and Dad, every fifteen minutes someone in the United States dies from an alcohol related traffic collision, and today, I died.”
These were the words of two Carbon High students during the Every 15 Minutes program on Wednesday, a day-long event that warns of the possible consequences of driving while impaired.
The program began after the first bell when the Grim Reaper began making rounds throughout the school, pulling one student from class every 15 minutes. These students, deemed the walking dead, donned white face paint and black shirts and were unable to speak until the end of the school day.
The program continued mid-morning as the student body observed a mock accident involving two vehicles, an impaired driver and a number of classmates. Emergency response crews, including law enforcement officers, EMTS and firefighters, responded to the scene, closely followed by family members of those involved.
At the scene, one was pronounced dead. One was arrested. One was transported for medical care by helicopter, another by ambulance.
Later, one died at the hospital from injuries. One was deemed paralyzed. One was booked into jail.
While these scenarios were all simulated, an afternoon assembly reminded students that these unfortunate accidents can come to life based on everyday choices. Driving while impaired, texting while driving and driving distracted can all result in similar outcomes.
The afternoon featured words from parents of the two students who died during the simulation. Noah Jones and Madelyn Christensen, the students who passed away, presented letters to their parents, saying what they wished they could have said before they died. The walking dead oversaw the proceedings from the stage, reminding students how many lives are changed every 15 minutes.
The Winter family of Emery County, who lost their son Ethan in an accident over one year ago, brought the student body back to reality. Ethan’s parents, Troy and Cresta, took time to remember their son and recount the day they lost their son in 2016, urging Carbon High students to make the best choices they can.
