If there’s one thing adults can probably all relate to when remembering our formative years, it’s that being told not to do something as a teenager often instilled a nearly irresistible desire to go ahead and do exactly just that anyway.
Who among us could honestly say that being told at a younger age not to push a red button didn’t result in only making us more curious to find out precisely what happens when the button is pressed.
This is merely the curiosity ingrained in our nature that over the centuries has always compelled us to — when given orders or directives — ask why.
So declarations such as “don’t do drugs” and “don’t drive impaired or distracted” carry little to no weight in the grand scheme of things.
These types of well-meaning but otherwise empty statements have basically no capacity to convince adolescents not to engage in such irresponsible and risky behaviour.
The idea should not be to dictate, but rather educate.
So we think the annual staged collision scenario hosted recently at the Sundre High School in collaboration with drama club students and emergency services is a step in the right direction.
Although staged, the scene of the mock crash is quite realistic, complete with a “deceased” individual lying motionless as responders work to extricate others from a crushed or overturned vehicle while police “arrest” and take into “custody” the “impaired” driver.
There is arguably no better way to drive home the cautionary message about not operating a vehicle impaired than by demonstrating the very real potential consequences.
The live demonstration is then followed up with presentations in the school’s gym from people who have personally had to deal with the fallout of an impaired collision in real life.
Discussing the life-changing consequences of a shortsighted decision to get behind the wheel inebriated also drives home the point that one does not only put his or her own life on the line, but also that of others from family and friends to random strangers.
So we commend the high school as well as all of the emergency responders who volunteer to take the time to make available such an important lesson, and hope that this year’s grads celebrate safely and responsibly as they prepare to embark on life’s next chapter.
— Ducatel is the Round Up’s editor
