According to the US Department of Transportation, every day, about 37 Americans die in drunk-driving crashes. Today, North Penn High School held its annual DUI reenactment for the senior class in light of upcoming graduation and senior activities.
The reenactment is a powerful demonstration of law enforcement responding to a drunk-driving crash. The event was narrated by two North Penn seniors, making it extremely meaningful. The reenactment was impactful for all students and administrators to see.
“I think the impact is, as you can see today, today was a pretty somber demonstration of some of the very real ramifications of what can happen when you are driving under the influence and it’s sometimes just little decisions that turn into big results, whether it is positive or negative,” Assistant Principal Mr. Kenneth Bui said. “I think this is a reminder to our students to always be careful about the decisions that they make and that their decisions are keeping them and others safe.”
Along with Bui, members of Towamencin and Upper Gwynedd law enforcement explained the debts of irresponsible actions and the consequences that can follow.
“Students should take away the seriousness of our actions and that there is a consequence to everything we do. Sometimes it’s not always a good consequence and we have to deal with those actions,” Towamencin Fire Co. Lt. Erich Greiner explained.
Along with understanding how actions have consequences, students also took away how traumatic an event like this can be. Drunk-driving accidents are avoidable.
“If you want to take anything away from this, just take in everything pretty much like the sights and sounds. Even when you get on a fresh scene the smells are going to be different. You are going to smell the fuel on the ground and you really have to let it sink in and know that it’s real,” AEMT Lt. Abbey Akins said. “We do this every day. I have been on plenty of calls where unfortunately you see young kids whose lives have changed forever and that’s something that we carry with us as well.”
The devastating effects of drunk driving stay with a person forever, and today, North Penn seniors were reminded of the real risks.
“If you want to see us just come by to the station. We would much rather see you guys walking around and saying ‘hi’ than having to cut you out of a car. The message is don’t drink and drive, it’s not worth it. You guys are ending the earliest chapter of your life and starting something completely fresh when you graduate, so don’t let it be cut short,” Akins said.