East Haven Students Learn Valuable Lessons During Mock D.U.I.

From East Haven PD: Earlier today in conjunction with the East Haven Fire Department and the East Haven chapter of S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions) we took part in a Mock D.U.I. crash. The mock crash depicted a fatal motor vehicle accident scene involving students that appear to have just left their school’s prom and drove drunk causing the accident. Students from S.A.D.D. were used as actors and played the accident victims, drunk driver (who was arrested), and Grim reaper. The rest of the S.A.D.D. student actors were dressed in all black with painted faces and walked stoically behind a hearse as it drove away with the victims inside of it. As this was taking place, a student read the poem “I Went to a Party Mom”. The message was powerful for all involved, including the first responders who were a part of the scenario. The video was streamed live on the East Haven Police Department Facebook page and has been posted to the page.

The message here serves as a visual of how final certain decisions can be. Students need to see the reality of what getting behind the wheel drunk looks like and how it can change your life in an instant if the wrong decision is made. With services like Uber, Lyft, and taxi services, there is no reason why anyone needs to get behind the wheel of a car impaired. We all need to come together as a community and see to it that a tragedy like the one depicted today at the high school never actually happens in East Haven.

Anthony Vaspasiano, S.A.D.D. advisor for the EHHS told me his students began preparing for this event over two months ago. He stated that he was extremely proud of the students who took the assignment very seriously and that he hopes it really hits home for the students in attendance. East Haven’s prom is this Saturday night, May 12, 2018.

Images Via East Haven PD