Students get a sobering lesson


CANFIELD — Students from seven Mahoning County high schools got a sobering look at the possible consequences of irresponsible driving.

Area law enforcement and emergency officials participated Friday in a mock crash at the Canfield Fairgrounds.

“We had a semi-truck pull away and there were two cars there [that had crashed]: one that was going to the prom and one coming from a party,” said Susan Viars of Mahoning Safe Communities, one of the agencies involved.

With prom and graduation season approaching, the event aimed to emphasize the importance of buckling seat belts and acting responsibly in a car both as the driver and a passenger, she said.

“We didn’t really focus on the drinking and driving because these kids shouldn’t be drinking anyway,” Viars said.

Participating schools were Jackson-Milton, South Range, Austintown Fitch, Chaney, Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, West Branch and Youngstown Christian high schools.

“We wanted to show how long it can take for help to arrive,” Viars said. “Even though it was only eight minutes, that can be a very long time for the person who is lying there in pain,” she said.

From the reactions of students she heard, Viars believes the exercise achieved the intended results.

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