May 24, 2024 By Amy Fauth 2 min read

As the school year winds down, high school seniors are enjoying prom, graduation parties and other special events to mark the end of their high school years.

However, seniors at one Fayette County high school took time out from the fun for a serious moment as first responders reminded them of the impact drugs and alcohol can have on their lives.

During a recent assembly at the high school, students were invited to put on a pair of impairment goggles and then stack cups to demonstrate just how much alcohol and drugs can affect vision, before going outside to see the realities of an impaired driving crash.

The mock crash included an injured victim being cut out of a vehicle by the fireman, placed on a board and wheeled into an ambulance by the paramedics, and students learned an impaired driver would likely face jail time.

Senior Wyatt Nehls participated in the mock accident, playing the role of the impaired driver, and said the experience had an impact.

“I thought that it sent a good message about a serious topic. Even though it was staged, it was surreal to think that this could happen to one of our students if they don’t make good decisions,” Nehls said.

State police trooper Kalee Barnhart also spoke to students, most of whom are relatively inexperienced behind the wheel, about the dangers of distracted driving. She urged them to put their cellphones down and concentrate on the road.

“It’s not worth crashing your car or hurting yourself or someone else,” she said.

Barnhart also warned seniors about the potential for lifelong issues from taking drugs and drinking alcohol, and offered some sobering statistics: One out of six teenagers has used medication to get high, and 90% of addiction starts in the teenage years.

And, she said, 27% of teens and 16% of parents believe using prescription drugs to get high is safer than using illegal drugs.

The program also included warnings about vaping, with Barnhart noting that there are no studies on its long-term effects.