Putting the SKID on Drunk Driving

On May 29th, Columbia River High School hosted the “SKID” program, which stands for “Stop Kids Intoxicated Driving.”

The program is a very graphic and realistic dramatization involving wrecked vehicles and injured "victims" who are portrayed by students from the school. It included “staged” real crashed vehicles placed on the track in view of the high school stadium.

Student actors were made up to look like real victims and witnesses of the fatal car crash. There was a full emergency response that included the investigation and arrest of one driver for Driving Under the Influence and a real extrication of injured people from the victim car. One of the victims was transported away from the scene by a Life flight helicopter.

Another victim was pronounced dead at the scene, witnessed by her arriving mother, and transported to a waiting hearse. The entire scene unfolded in front of the entire junior and senior classes at the high school. Some students and staff were moved to tears while getting so caught up in the emotion that they forget the event was not real. The goal is to make a lasting impact on the students and to discourage them from drinking and driving as they approach prom, graduation, and the coming summer.

During lunch students were given the opportunity to pledge never to drink and drive. Participates got a feel for how impairment can effect your coordination when they attempted sobriety tests while wearing special “drunk goggles.”

The program was funded by a grant from the All-State Foundation. It was made possible by strong support from the staff of SKID, TLC towing, Evergreen Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Entercom Radio, Fire District 6, American Medical Response, Life Flight, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. Students, working with School Resource Officer, Deputy Fred Neiman Jr, spent months planning the event.

CRESA really enjoys participating in events like this because motivating people to think twice before engaging in risky behavior may be just one less bad call that we have to take here at 9-1-1.