Police prep Antioch students for prom night temptations
About 900 Antioch High School students got to see how difficult driving would be if they decide to include alcohol in Saturday's prom night festivities.
The Antioch police and fire departments and Illinois State Police hosted a daylong alcohol awareness presentation for sophomores, juniors and seniors Tuesday, showing them first-hand how alcohol affects motor skills and reaction time.
"I did the field sobriety test and the 5-mile-per-hour crash, and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be," said Shayna York, 17. "Drinking and driving is a definite 'no' for me. The death rate is too high."
By using simulation technology, students participated in six different activities. In one, they drove a golf cart while wearing goggles that impaired their vision the same way alcohol would. In another, they got to see what it would be like to be in a rollover crash.
"I can sit here and tell you stories about blood and guts, but that isn't what I want to do," said Antioch Fire Lt. Chris Lienhardt. "I'm not foolish enough not to expect you to go to parties and be around alcohol. But sometimes, you have to make the unpopular decision because that is the right decision."
The alcohol awareness presentation was the first of its kind at Antioch Community High School and paid for with a $2,000 grant from Allstate insurance and the Illinois State Police.
Lienhardt said the police and fire departments planned on hosting the presentation in March, but postponed because of the weather, which worked out better since the school's prom is Saturday.
Statistics show 16- to 18-year-olds are the smallest group of drivers on the road, but have the highest number of fatalities, Lienhardt said.
"I think the kids were surprised by how much their perspective changed when they were wearing the fatal vision goggles," he said.
Debbie Rummel, driver's education teacher at the school, said she hopes Tuesday's event sets the tone for prom night.
"I just really like that fact that the kids get to experience the stuff we warn them about in driver's ed," Rummel said.