Prom is an important time for the seniors of Central Kitsap High School. It is seen as a milestone for many of the students here in which they celebrate making it through the agonizing pain that is high school. However, with the introduction of prom comes the introduction of drunken students. While prom is the time to celebrate and some students tend to do it quite exuberantly. Some students find prom to be a time where they can drink their non-existent sorrows away and completely destroy their livers. Stolen alcohol, fake IDs, you name it, many students find their way around the drinking age limit.

For the majority of students attending prom, their main way of getting there is by driving. Now when you introduce the possible alcohol they may be exposed to, the two do not paint a pretty picture. Drinking and driving is a truly terrible choice that thousands of high school students make a year. It affects people in so many ways, destroying cars, families, and lives.

Many CKHS students already know about the dangers of drinking and driving. “Drinking and driving is a foolish choice. Not only does driving irresponsibly put yourself at risk, but such choices affect others on the road,” states Hanna Inoue, Sophomore at CKHS. Many students understand just how dangerous the act of drinking and driving is and state that they would never choose to do so. However, after a long night of partying and peer pressure from friends, the knowledge of the effects of drinking and driving begins to blur. This is where the Mock Crash comes in:

The Mock Crash is held every year for CKHS students to bring awareness to situations such as these. It resembles a realistic and gruesome crash with CKHS students from the senior class dressed up in prom dresses and suits and covered in blood and gore. For the rest of the students at CKHS, there are pictures displayed in a cabinet near the front entrance of the school with bloody prom dresses.

On May 29, 2019, the seniors of CKHS were brought to Thunderbird Stadium to witness our school’s annual Mock Crash. These students were exposed to graphic events that simulated a realistic car crash that resulted from driving under the influence.

It all begins with a small introduction from Mr. Johnson, Co-Principal here at CKHS. He speaks about the dangers of drunk driving and how serious the students need to take this Mock Crash. It then transitions into the simulation itself; it starts with the sound of a prom after-party with students shouting chug chug chug chug while loud music plays in the background. Afterward, the students hear the actors get into their car and experience the car crash itself. Then, the blue tarps are removed from the cars and the students take in the scene.

There are two cars, badly beaten with broken windows and shattered glass. There’s blood everywhere and students who have already died on impact and others who are barely gripping for life.

This scene is very intense. The students witness students that they know fight to keep their friends alive and watch as they slowly slip into unconsciousness.

Avery Jaques, a Junior at CKHS, was behind the scene for this Mock Crash. “It was very eye-opening and there was a lot going on, I was overwhelmed,” he said. “The atmosphere was very different.” Jaques has been at CKHS for three years now but this is the first time she’s really experienced the Mock Crash first-hand. “It was something that typically isn’t covered in that much detail. Being able to see the process was very insightful.”

Being directly in the seen really changes a person’s point of view. You get to hear what the actors are saying clearly, and you see the blood that covers almost every inch of their body; it can be quite nerve-wracking.

Parker Divinagracia, a senior who attended the Mock Crash, said “I got more affected by the woman’s story than the mock crash. I thought it was sad but I honestly thought the acting wasn’t the best and some parts felt a little awkward and too quiet when it should’ve been more dramatic.” Divinagracia was present at the Mock Crash as a viewer.

The Mock Crash only occurs for a short hour on a short day; in a broader view, it seems useless. Many students of CKHS understand the importance of not drinking and driving, so what’s the point of taking seniors from a learning environment to learn something they already know?

“I believe that the Mock Crash does bring enough awareness to senior students because of the visuals and how they portray the sad reality of drinking and driving,” states Espinosa.

So, while it may be obvious to most CKHS students that drinking and driving is a terrible idea with terrible outcomes, it does serve a purpose. Without the Mock Crash, many senior students may never see the actual aftermath of drunk driving. The people who run the Mock Crash do their absolute best to make sure that the senior students of CKHS really understand the terrible effects of a terrible choice.