For the fourth year in a row, Grade 9 students from the Boyle and Grassland schools got up close and personal with just what can happen when a driver makes the wrong choices.
The day-long program, held in Boyle last Tuesday, is called ‘20 Feet Tall and Bulletproof’ and is designed to teach the young teens about the responsibilities that go along with getting behind the wheel of a car, and the potentially tragic consequences of dangerous and impaired driving.
“In rural Alberta, it is not uncommon for 14 year-olds to get their learner’s permit, so the sooner these kids learn about the responsibilities that go along with getting behind the wheel, the better,” said Boyle RCMP commander Sgt. Kevin McGillivary.
Students began the day watching and listening to presentations by the RCMP, ambulance and fire department personnel aimed at raising traffic safety awareness with an emphasis on impaired and distracted driving.
They then got a firsthand look what goes on at the scene of a collision and how serious it can get.
At the scene, the students witnessed how all of the emergency services work together as well as saw a demonstration of the equipment used to extract the injured and dead from the vehicles.
“The re-enactment serves as a very dramatic and dynamic teaching tool – the point is not to scare them, but to give them a real sense of the devastating impacts of unsafe driving,” said McGillivary.
“The collective effort required to put on the program also sends the kids a strong message about how much this community cares about them and keeping them safe on the road.”
The group also had the opportunity to meet and speak with motivational speaker John Westhaver, who survived a fatal motor vehicle collision at 18 that left three others dead. The accident, which occurred 20 years ago, left him with life-threatening injuries including burns to 75 percent of his body. The car he was in, along with his three friends, lost control, rolled and burst in to flames. His talk reminded the students of the importance of making good choices when driving.
Next was a trip to the Boyle Hospital, where they watched as medical staff triaged the injured actors and spoke about the long road to recovery, followed by a look at what Strome Memorial & Funeral Services work and a discussion of how they deal with grieving families.
McGillivray added a big thanks goes out to the program partners – Boyle and District Rural Crime Watch, SELECT Rentals, Boyle CO-OP, AHS, both schools, Village of Boyle and Athabasca County.
