It’s become all too common in this day and age to check your phone while driving, but on Wednesday, nearly 300 Winnipeg students got a stark lesson in how dangerous that can be. An annual car crash demonstration was held, showing a visceral example of what distracted driving can lead to.
The staged demonstration was a collaboration of the Winnipeg Police Service, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Manitoba Brain Injury Association.
It featured actors and first responders depicting an elaborate and realistic crash followed by a mock funeral. All were intended to really stick in the minds of the students watching.
“If we can remind our young youth who are driving the importance of safety behind the wheel and what the outcomes can be, hopefully we’re going to see a decrease in those kinds of outcomes other than mortality,” said Cathy Penwarden, the acting secretary of the Manitoba Brain Injury Association.
Sgt. Kenneth Pinsent, with the Manitoba RCMP, added, “That’s the hope, is to put eyes on something and really be part of a production here like this, which should ultimately give them a better idea as opposed to those lectures that you see, or drivers ed, which are all great things, but to actually pull up and watch something happen like this, the intent is to try and curb those behaviours.”
Sgt. Pinsent says while it’s common to think of impaired driving as the number one road safety concern, distracted driving and the use of phones behind the wheel is an even more pressing issue.
“It is the number one killer. It’s overtaken impaired driving now by a fair margin, and it’s very preventable; just don’t answer your phone and put it down. All of our new cars have Apple CarPlay and things where you can be completely hands-free; there’s no reason to be on your phone anymore,” said Sgt. Pinsent.
Gabi Metzler, a senior at Windsor Park Collegiate High School, says she noticed a somber mood amongst her peers during the performance, and hopes the experience will open students’ eyes.
“I thought it was pretty realistic. I’ve never seen a car crash just unfold in front of my eyes, so I thought it was a really good representation,” she explained.
“I think it’s honestly become a real issue of people using their phones while they’re driving, it’s just kind of the normal now, and people don’t really realize the effects of what can happen, you take your eyes off the road for one second, and your life could be over, it could be changed.”
Mock car crash shows Winnipeg students the dangers of distracted driving. (Eddie Huband, CityNews)
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