Crash and Learn
Almost all of us will sit behind the wheel of a vehicle one day and safety is a major concern. Because of this, TRF and Goodridge High School students were able to witness a mock crash held at the TRF fairgrounds on Tuesday, September 19th. Lincoln students, teachers and faculty, and community members all worked together to make this happen.
The mock crash was caused when two students, Elaina Knott and
Jasmine Grindeland, were throwing a basketball to each other. However, the ball landed in the road and due to distracted driving the driver, Brayden Johnson, was not able to react in time and crashed into another vehicle carrying Kendra Wiggs, Heidi Carlson, Marryn Dalager, and Maddie Stewart. Zachary Praska, Cameron Dahlin, Luke Perkovich, and Cade Lundeen were in the other vehicle. Two passengers were pronounced DOA (dead on arrival), one from each vehicle: Luke Perkovich and Heidi Carlson. Cameron Dahlin, who hadn’t been wearing a seatbelt, struck Perkovich during the crash, killing him instantly. Heidi Carlson also hadn’t been wearing her seatbelt and was killed during the crash.
After witnessing the crash, Jasmine Grindeland called 911 and reported what had happened. The police department, an ambulance, and the fire department arrived and began assessing the scene. During the commotion, five Lincoln High School students holding black crosses walked onto the scene to represent the five fatalities in 2016. Another thirty-five students seated on the bleachers stood up to represent the people who lost their lives in a motor vehicle accident since 2000.
The most emotional part came from the reactions of the passengers and their "parents". Marryn Dalager cried out as she realized her boyfriend was in the other vehicle, Kendra Wiggs embraced the other passengers, Mrs. Kahlhamer, acting as a mother, ran into the scene crying out for her child, and Mrs. Groven broke down when she saw her son’s body covered in a tarp.
The mock crash itself was impressive, but what went into making it happen was even more so. There was no funding, however, multiple businesses from around the area including Sanford, the fire and police departments, Johnson Funeral Home, and city engineers, to name a few, all participated in the making of the mock crash.
The reasoning behind the crash is what really matters. The main goal is to raise awareness. Jodi Flaagan, the coordinator of TZD, which stands for Towards Zero Deaths, said: “One of our big focuses of the coalition is distracted driving, and this is a targeted age group.”
As younger drivers fill the roads, the risks increase. So, what can we do make sure we’re safe? Jared Rhodes, the supervisor of the TRF Ambulance Service, says the best thing that young drivers can do is to get off your phone: “Get off your phone, seriously, get off your phone… when I was your age, we didn’t have cell phones. We learned to drive for driving. Nothing took precedence over driving, because that was the main function. Nowadays, people learn to use their phones before they learn to drive so their phones become their main function.”
Jodi Flaagan later adds to this saying “You’re not invincible… The goal of doing this pretend crash is to make it so we don’t have a real crash. Thief River has had a couple crashes already. People have lost people that are close to them.”
So, now that we’ve heard advice for the drivers themselves, what can parents do? After interviewing Mike Flaagan, he made a simple, but great point: “Keep that word out, keep reminding them the importance of safety and wearing their seatbelts.” Sometimes, all it takes is a reminder.
When we drive, we not only have to be aware of our own actions, but the actions of those around us. Seventy-five out of one-hundred drivers aren’t paying attention to the road so it’s important that we look out for one another. There are four crucial, life-saving tips that we’ve probably all heard more than once, but they remain true. Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Brad Norland spoke to the onlooking students, listing these four steps: Drive the conditions, wear your seatbelt, do not drink and drive, and do not text and drive. These are simple actions, yet they can be the difference between life and death for you and others on the roadways.
The mock crash was a necessary reminder that we’re not invincible and we need to keep our actions in check for ourselves and for other people. After, I asked an LHS student what they thought of the crash. They said: “I think it reiterates how much we need to drive safely and especially use our seat belts.” The crash, though not real, should be taken into account as if was.
Photography credit: Faith Dvergsten