PULLMAN, Wash. The mournful wails of an injured college student echoed through Washington State University’s Glenn Terrell Mall during the lunch hour as crews staged a mock car crash.
“The goal is to put an image in students’ minds of the real consequences of drinking and driving, said WSU Police Chief Bill Gardner. “It is a vision that just might convince a student to make better choices.”With the help of WSU police and Pullman fire departments, students recreated a fatal accident scene complete with blood, injuries, smoke, a fatality and a driver being field tested for driving while intoxicated.
Many passersby were caught unaware that the incident was being staged.
“This is a scene few people outside of law enforcement or emergency responders ever see for themselves,” said Gardner.
The event was designed to be as realistic as possible. It included a staged extraction from a smashed-up truck that required firefighters to use special equipment to pull victims to safety. To the side, a police officer could be seen giving an obviously impaired driver a field sobriety test.The event, sponsored by the Associated Students of WSU and the student chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, is held almost every year on the WSU Pullman campus.